We all have different opinions, but personally what I have seen in the last two cup matches Newport and Exeter , heâs not had particular stand out games.
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Argyle U 23 v Exeter U23 Premier League Cup Match thread
- Thread starter Ottawa Green
- Start date
So last season we took Okopu, 22, and Watts, 21, from Fulham and Newcastle. Itâs a decent level of youth team football. They had also had some first team experience but not much. More though than todayâs players.
My point is they really struggled in a back 3 system. This 3-1-4-2 system is very open especially to counter attack. As we insist on playing out from the back then we will be vulnerable at whatever level of football we play.
Now if youngster like Okopu and Watts struggled then we have to expect our youngsters to struggle to get to grips with this system. Itâs hard enough to ask seasoned proâs to play this system never mind the youngsters.
Iâm sure they will be disappointed about today but l feel you will be exposed in this system if you canât keep the ball well.
We have to remember too some players wonât suit all systems. Whilst l feel Randell is a good player it maybe that the 3-1-4-2 doesnât suit him. I very much doubt for Torquay he was playing in anything but organised 4ATB formation.
My point is they really struggled in a back 3 system. This 3-1-4-2 system is very open especially to counter attack. As we insist on playing out from the back then we will be vulnerable at whatever level of football we play.
Now if youngster like Okopu and Watts struggled then we have to expect our youngsters to struggle to get to grips with this system. Itâs hard enough to ask seasoned proâs to play this system never mind the youngsters.
Iâm sure they will be disappointed about today but l feel you will be exposed in this system if you canât keep the ball well.
We have to remember too some players wonât suit all systems. Whilst l feel Randell is a good player it maybe that the 3-1-4-2 doesnât suit him. I very much doubt for Torquay he was playing in anything but organised 4ATB formation.
Actually itâs not about whether l like the system, this time.MGM - do you not like the 3-1-4-2 (or 3-5-2) formation then?
(Sorry only emoji l could find suitable)Itâs that even those who do love it must admit itâs a very difficult to play this system if your a defender, or a defensive midfielder. And a young one at that.
So l know it doesnât look that way, but l was defending the kids that had to play that system today. Itâs difficult not only asking youngsters to focus on defending but to play like a Beckenbauer too, from the back.
Remember these are not top academy premiership kids either. I just have some sympathy for them when a match like this gets analysed.
I agree, but no-one said we lost 2-1Noooooo. You either win 2-1 or you lose 2-1. In normal speak that is, you don't say "we lost 1-2" Quote by Rodney Bewes in Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads, "No Hiding Place."
The post was âFT 2-1â
By convention, 2 to the home team and 1 to the away.
if the post was âlost 2-1â then ok. There is a subtle difference.
One final observation on this game... Exeter seem to have been able to field a slightly older team as a result of keeping on more players as professionals after finishing their scholarships, often sending them out on loan to local non league clubs.
They currently have 4 players on loan around the Westcountry. Seymour, who scored their 2 goals, is 22 and has played on loan at 4 different clubs apparently without properly breaking into the Exeter first team.
Difficult to say whether this is the right approach for Argyle. Obviously even on low wages, it's going to cost Exeter a bit to offer more young players pro terms. Also means that fewer of their 16-18 year olds will get their chance in games like today's (though the better ones will now get to test themselves against Premier League clubs).
But given Exeter's recent successes with their youth development, it does make me wonder if Argyle are a bit too quick to make a judgement on whether or not our players are going to make it...
They currently have 4 players on loan around the Westcountry. Seymour, who scored their 2 goals, is 22 and has played on loan at 4 different clubs apparently without properly breaking into the Exeter first team.
Difficult to say whether this is the right approach for Argyle. Obviously even on low wages, it's going to cost Exeter a bit to offer more young players pro terms. Also means that fewer of their 16-18 year olds will get their chance in games like today's (though the better ones will now get to test themselves against Premier League clubs).
But given Exeter's recent successes with their youth development, it does make me wonder if Argyle are a bit too quick to make a judgement on whether or not our players are going to make it...
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Beaten by a much better side - more capable and threatening.
Simple.
Randell and Law were well off their game !
Simple.
Randell and Law were well off their game !
The more you play the system, the better you become at it. Surely its better to have the youngsters playing the same system as the first team, so you are more able to fit into the system when called upon, than something expedient to win a game ?Actually itâs not about whether l like the system, this time.
Itâs that even those who do love it must admit itâs a very difficult to play this system if your a defender, or a defensive midfielder. And a young one at that.
So l know it doesnât look that way, but l was defending the kids that had to play that system today. Itâs difficult not only asking youngsters to focus on defending but to play like a Beckenbauer too, from the back.
Remember these are not top academy premiership kids either. I just have some sympathy for them when a match like this gets analysed.
FWIW, I really like this system, it may not suit all our players (yet), but what it does do is allow spectators to watch football, see players at the limit of their technical ability trying to play football on the ground and provides some real excitement when it works. I agree we can sometimes do with changing the system, sometimes bring on substitutes earlier and loads of other things we could criticise the manager for, but actually rather than continually go on about this and the flaws in the system, I would rather encourage the more positive aspects of what we are seeing, namely football played on the ground, players that you can actually see developing and excitement at both ends of the pitch.
