First team breakthrough next season
Obviously we are in the market for new signings in the summer however is there any academy players that are ready to make the serious step up.
We look like we need a couple of full backs and a winger with Moses going.
Oxford is now a fixture anyone else good enough to join him??
We look like we need a couple of full backs and a winger with Moses going.
Oxford is now a fixture anyone else good enough to join him??
Comments
I think Cullen, Dobson, Lee (not convinced he'll make it), Chambers and Samuelson need a full season at a champ club. I'm tempted to say Oxford too as I want him to get more game time.
Borg should be sent to league 1 next season.
Sounds like the left back Hendrie is not up to it yet
Shame they're not ready yet, but they will be soon. All of the above have huge potential and if managed right could be big assets from 2017.
Burke and Cullen have been a breath of fresh air this season.
Their combined performances have been exceptional and a joy to watch.
Both players are a credit to the West Ham youth set up.
I am glad when the opportunity came along they chose to join Bradford on loan to display their obvious youthful footballing talents.
Both players attitudes and work rate away from their parent club have been exemplary thus far.
I think after their stay at our club the pair of them will go back down south and continue to build on their experiences gained whilst playing first team football with us.
From what we have seen both players would appear to have a bright future ahead of them and hopefully they will go on to be household names in the world of football.
Just a shame it won't be at Bradford.
Bradford Fan #1
I like Cullen but what does he do that Billy Knott can't? It's up to the latter to cut out the daft stuff and keep it simple if he has Evans alongside. Agree about Reid & Burke.
Bradford Fan #2
Err, kicks with both feet, almost 100% pass accuracy, reads the game superbly, tackles really well, usually doesn't give daft fouls away in dangerous areas, doesn't get caught in possession, doesn't play speculative Hollywood passes when a simple ball is more effective, keeps momentum going because he already knows where he'll pass it before he receives the ball, runs forward with ball when the opportunity arises, wins headers despite his diminutive size, orders old pros around like he's the captain not a 19 year old rookie. Need any other examples?
I like Billy Knott and I think some of the stick he gets is unfair. But Cullen is in a different league altogether.
Samuelson might be able to break through though? We need a winger and am not sure a rookie would be any less inconsistent than Moses.
But they might be able to play Europa in the early stages.
I don't think Samuelsen plays as a winger, does he?
When I've seen him play he has been more like a Payet or Lanzini, a playmaker.
I guess he could still take Moses' place because our playmakers and wingers have been kind of interchangeable, with both Lanzini and Payet playing wide.
This says he can play both positions http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3441326/Martin-Samuelsen-puts-man-match-performance-Peterborough-FA-Cup-fourth-round-defeat-West-Brom-18-year-old-loanee-West-Ham.html
Like eski says, a wide MF rather than a winger, I would say from the little I have seen of him.
http://www.london24.com/sport/football/clubs/west-ham/west_ham_boss_reveals_long_term_plans_for_four_hammers_academy_starlets_1_4443928
Burke still the most likely to get his shot but we need to terminate his loan which is a problem
Samuelson struggled at Blackburn, think it's too soon this season for him, can't expect a 19 year old who's developing to come into a side lacking confidence and be a game changer, too much pressure
Oxford has been injured, but you'd imagine that if he doesn't get loaned out he'll be around the first 18 as Slaven liked to bring him on when shutting down games last season (gotta be better than Nordtveit)
Can argue that Fletcher is a youth player ( not ours I know) who has been thrusted into the 1st team
In an ideal world I'd like to see Page or pike come in as wing backs so we can push Antonio further forward but like Samuelson it's a lot of pressure ebringing in youth players into struggling teams
As WHU-Champo points out Fletcher has got games at 21.
Fernandes is only 20 and has already had several games.
I suspect that if Oxford hadn't been injured we'd have seen him and that once he is back he will get games at some point.
Oxford Reid Ogbonna
Byram Fernandes Obiang Cresswell
Lanzini Fletcher Payet
Could very well be our starting XI next season. Browne and Quina have made the bench recently and Martinez looked good before his injury.
Hopefulyl a few of these will break through in the next couple of years.
Opposing teams would have field day down the right.