Deji Elerewe - won League One Apprentice of the year at EFL 2022 Awards (p11)

So how do you pronounce his surname?

Im saying Ell er u, is that right?

Excellent news. Deji looks very promising. 

Maccn05 said:

Tremendous news … for us and hopefully him.

On paper we have the opportunity to have the finest crop of youth team graduates in our history.

- Beadle
- Eleware
- Henry
- Anderson
- Kanu 
- Burstow

if we can get them all tied down it could be the start of an exciting era for the club. No pressure JJ ☺️

I would add Chin to that list.

Redrobo said:

Maccn05 said:

Tremendous news … for us and hopefully him.

On paper we have the opportunity to have the finest crop of youth team graduates in our history.

- Beadle
- Eleware
- Henry
- Anderson
- Kanu 
- Burstow

if we can get them all tied down it could be the start of an exciting era for the club. No pressure JJ ☺️

I would add Chin to that list.

Cant believe Roddy isnt on the list 

Maccn05 said:

Tremendous news … for us and hopefully him.

On paper we have the opportunity to have the finest crop of youth team graduates in our history.

- Beadle
- Eleware
- Henry
- Anderson
- Kanu 
- Burstow

if we can get them all tied down it could be the start of an exciting era for the club. No pressure JJ ☺️

Good prospects, but finest crop is perhaps hyping them up a bit

We've had really good crops in the past too. I remember the early 90s when the likes of Rufus and Newton went on to play 100s of first team games, and others made the first team. Or the late 90s where we produced Parker, Konchesky and Fortune, who all played in the PL, 2 of which playing for England

Maccn05 said:

Tremendous news … for us and hopefully him.

On paper we have the opportunity to have the finest crop of youth team graduates in our history.

- Beadle
- Eleware
- Henry
- Anderson
- Kanu 
- Burstow

if we can get them all tied down it could be the start of an exciting era for the club. No pressure JJ ☺️

Elerewe's defensive partner Bakrin looked every bit as impressive as Elerewe in the youth game I watched against Birmingham last year.

Is he also likely to progress to the first team? 

Maccn05 said:

Tremendous news … for us and hopefully him.

On paper we have the opportunity to have the finest crop of youth team graduates in our history.

- Beadle
- Eleware
- Henry
- Anderson
- Kanu 
- Burstow

if we can get them all tied down it could be the start of an exciting era for the club. No pressure JJ ☺️

Am I right that all of the above (plus T Campbell) have pro contracts except Beadle and Kanu at the moment whom are both too young to have signed yet anyway?  I thought our RB (number 2) last night looked decent too whoever he was.

Great news, class act, England's centre half in 5 or 6 years time, sadly wont be with us then. lets get proper money for him when he goes.

tangoflash said:

thenewbie said:

tangoflash said:

Great to hear, but I don't get folk calling for him to be starting games at the moment. In place of who, Pearce? I wouldn't be comfortable with 2 inexperienced centrebacks in the same team. Famwo is ahead of him at the moment, but even he sometimes shows niavety in some of his decisions. Youngsters need to be surrounded by experienced players to talk them through the game. Happy with him to be on the bench, with cameo appearances, but can see him being sent out on a short term loan before staking a regular place in our team.

It's not really a question of "in place of" though is it? Inniss is crocked (again), Lavelle is now out injured. If we keep the three at the back, he's in there along with Pearce and Famewo pretty much by default unless we play a full back out of position. 

I think JJ prefers to play Matthews/Gunter in the back 3, as it gives him the option to switch to a back 4 without making any subs

It's also better cover for the RB area with the more attacking wing back on that side.

Balance.

Excellent news 

Last night was a bit of a reality check, with Deji having a bit of a mare. All young players will have bad games of course, but it's a reminder that he's a kid, and it's unrealistic to expect him to go straight into the first team and play 25 games this season.

Brownie was interesting when he was talking about Deji's weakness in heading, how he sometimes misjudges the flight of the ball. Something he can sort in training of course, but in L1 you need your CBs to cope with the high crosses and punts up field

killerandflash said:

Last night was a bit of a reality check, with Deji having a bit of a mare. All young players will have bad games of course, but it's a reminder that he's a kid, and it's unrealistic to expect him to go straight into the first team and play 25 games this season.

Brownie was interesting when he was talking about Deji's weakness in heading, how he sometimes misjudges the flight of the ball. Something he can sort in training of course, but in L1 you need your CBs to cope with the high crosses and punts up field

Tough one for him. He's made, what, 7 professional appearances and just turned 18 two months ago. Despite that he's gone into last night's game as the more senior centre half alongside a teenage debutant and a left back playing in the middle. Normally someone that young would be relying a lot on the senior centre backs talking to him and directing him round but he's not had that to support him here. He'll be alright with the heading thing, Kurt Zouma had that problem when he first came to Chelsea and now he's basically a battering ram with a face, just takes a little time

Garrymanilow said:

killerandflash said:

Last night was a bit of a reality check, with Deji having a bit of a mare. All young players will have bad games of course, but it's a reminder that he's a kid, and it's unrealistic to expect him to go straight into the first team and play 25 games this season.

Brownie was interesting when he was talking about Deji's weakness in heading, how he sometimes misjudges the flight of the ball. Something he can sort in training of course, but in L1 you need your CBs to cope with the high crosses and punts up field

Tough one for him. He's made, what, 7 professional appearances and just turned 18 two months ago. Despite that he's gone into last night's game as the more senior centre half alongside a teenage debutant and a left back playing in the middle. Normally someone that young would be relying a lot on the senior centre backs talking to him and directing him round but he's not had that to support him here. He'll be alright with the heading thing, Kurt Zouma had that problem when he first came to Chelsea and now he's basically a battering ram with a face, just takes a little time

The defence really missed an older head to organise the defence and to gee him up after he made earlier mistakes, as you can imagine his head dropping.

Souare should have been that more senior pro, but he's not a natural in that position either, he'd much rather be galloping down the wing where Clayden was playing.

https://www.cafc.co.uk/news/view/618bb3e2920bc/elerewe-im-very-proud-its-nice-for-my-family-to-be-here-with-me