Paul Anderson...

[alias75]

Just watched the highlights from the 3-0 win (you can view them here)

http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFAYouthCu...iverpoolwin.htm

 

Once again the boy looks sensational, most importantlyhe has bags of pace, we're clearly looking for a right sided player but if he keeps producing performances like this surely it wont be long before hes with the first team even its for 15 min here and there. He still has a lot of growing to do, but he reminds me a lot of Aaron lennon who is a similar build but has done well in the PL.

 

Rafa and the coaching staff clearly rate him highly since we swapped a current England U21 player for him, of course its important we dont push him too soon but id really like to see how he does with the first team.

[Keita]

Prospect yes, lets give the boy time and not push him to soon, did someone say Walcott?

[Toni]

He certainly has loads of pace, very good balance and has a good feel on the ball....certainly has the potential to make the grade...fingers crossed he does.

[Maldini]

Those who watch the reserves regularly say he's nowhere near ready yet

[alias75]

Those who watch the reserves regularly say he's nowhere near ready yet

 

I would agree with that, but theres a world of difference between starting PL games and playing 90 minutes and the odd 15 min at the end of a game. Of course he has plenty of improving and learning to do, but ive seen players at a similar age given a chance and from what ive seen so far, ability wise hes certainly on a par with someone like Lennon who i think was 16 when he made his debut in the PL.

[Maldini]

I would agree with that, but theres a world of difference between starting PL games and playing 90 minutes and the odd 15 min at the end of a game. Of course he has plenty of improving and learning to do, but ive seen players at a similar age given a chance and from what ive seen so far, ability wise hes certainly on a par with someone like Lennon who i think was 16 when he made his debut in the PL.

Yeah, we've a big squad though so he's not going to get a chance for a while yet. The media bleat on about giving English youngsters a chance, but you never hear them mentioning that we only have 5 subs, if they expanded it to 7 like most other European leagues clubs could put a couple of kids on the bench and they'd get a few more sub appearances here and there.

[Guest Rehan]

Just watched the highlights from the 3-0 win (you can view them here)

http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFAYouthCu...iverpoolwin.htm

 

Once again the boy looks sensational, most importantlyhe has bags of pace, we're clearly looking for a right sided player but if he keeps producing performances like this surely it wont be long before hes with the first team even its for 15 min here and there. He still has a lot of growing to do, but he reminds me a lot of Aaron lennon who is a similar build but has done well in the PL.

 

Rafa and the coaching staff clearly rate him highly since we swapped a current England U21 player for him, of course its important we dont push him too soon but id really like to see how he does with the first team.

 

Looks like a quality player for the reseverves and in the youth cup but still has alot to learn, I think he would struggle in the first team, it is a big step up.

[Guest AdamS]

Those who watch the reserves regularly say he's nowhere near ready yet

He's not in my opinion. The calls for him to be blooded are generally from people who have seen snippets on the internet (with all due respect). He could make quick progress & I suspect he will be there or there abouts for The Carling Cup next season, but he's only just turned 17 - give the lad a chance. This building up of expectation on all the liverpool websites concerns me.

[Mike]

play him now!

[MarkD]

I saw him once and he's about 18 months away from a 1st team game assuming he develops in that time. He is now an excellent player at the levels in which he performs.

[Guest dannylad]

From the little I have seen he looks like a very creative player, but then his skill hasn't been tested against a tighter defense. I don't think age has anything to do with it, provided he is well grounded, skillful and can work hard in the team. What part of his game/mentality is not there at the moment?

[Mike]

From the little I have seen he looks like a very creative player, but then his skill hasn't been tested against a tighter defense. I don't think age has anything to do with it, provided he is well grounded, skillful and can work hard in the team. What part of his game/mentality is not there at the moment?

 

he's not very big - got a touch of the richie partridges about him

[Falconhoof]

He's not in my opinion. The calls for him to be blooded are generally from people who have seen snippets on the internet (with all due respect). He could make quick progress & I suspect he will be there or there abouts for The Carling Cup next season, but he's only just turned 17 - give the lad a chance. This building up of expectation on all the liverpool websites concerns me.

 

 

Hear hear. There's far too much judging of players going on from e-season highlights. When you go to the matches (at any level) you get an appreciation of the level of opposition, how well teammates are linking up, the level of domination of the side. Its the only way you can really tell if a player has outperformed that level and might be ready for a step up. Even then there are other factors like who is ahead of him in the squad. We've just sent Pongolle on loan because he can't break into the 1st team. Now Sinama, at reserve level, looks frighteningly good. Not just head and shoulders above any of our new teenage recruits but on another planet. By comparison, some of the others look just what they are, promising youngsters.

 

I wish more people could go and watch a few reserve games, it really would be an eye opener for the difference in the level of football.

[sbaros]

Hear hear. There's far too much judging of players going on from e-season highlights. When you go to the matches (at any level) you get an appreciation of the level of opposition, how well teammates are linking up, the level of domination of the side. Its the only way you can really tell if a player has outperformed that level and might be ready for a step up. Even then there are other factors like who is ahead of him in the squad. We've just sent Pongolle on loan because he can't break into the 1st team. Now Sinama, at reserve level, looks frighteningly good. Not just head and shoulders above any of our new teenage recruits but on another planet. By comparison, some of the others look just what they are, promising youngsters.

 

I wish more people could go and watch a few reserve games, it really would be an eye opener for the difference in the level of football.

 

Anderson played with Pongolle, Hamann, Traore, Warnock, Agger, Potter etc. in that reserve game against Wolves, and i'm pretty sure he got MOM there..

 

I'm not saying he's ready for the first team, but since we didn't manange to sign a RM in january i think it would defo be worth the shout trying to put him on the bench against a team like Sunderland, WBA, if it will be a easy 2,3-0 then put him on and see how he does, he might not be ready for 90 minutes, but he's not very far from it.

 

It might just be because nothing much as come out of our Youth now for a few years and i'm forgetting how Owen and others looked as youngsters but Paul Anderson to me looks like a player which could well become a first-team player for Liverpool.

[dodgy1]

play him now!

 

Looking at them clips there - get him in now is right.

[Leo No.8]

There really are two ways of looking at this.

 

I watched the reserves a lot last season, but quite clearly none of that crop of young players were ever going to be good enough. You'd hear people call for Welsh to get a game in the first team, when you'd seen him fail regularly to stand out in reserve games, despite the fact he'd always give 100%. He just wasn't good enough.

 

This year there are a few who may have what it takes to make it, but its so hard to judge from reserve matches.

 

I'd agree of course that a lot of the promising young lads won't make it, and some who may aren't ready for regular first team involvement yet. However, I don't agree that because Anderson is slight it means he can't be given some time off the bench, perhaps even before the end of this season. I'd be interested to know how many times Giggs played for United's reserves? Very few I'd imagine, even though he wouldn't have been a dis-similar build to Anderson when he was his age.

 

See, its all very well preaching caution, but caution can kill young players as well. Whilst making the case for delaying the introduction of youngsters Cardinal Fang, you said people should try attending a few reserve games, and I completely agree. But as well as looking for themselves at what the players can do, they should go to taste the atmosphere, or lack of, and see what playing in the reserves week-in, week-out could do to a young player.

 

It is a terrible scene for a young footballer; usually there are a couple of first teamers strolling round not giving a toss and there are so few people in the ground you can hear the hum of the floodlights and the rustle of crisp packets. The games tend to be fairly scrappy affairs, as the line-ups are changed so often to accomodate first-teamers returning from injury, young players being given a go etc.

 

I personally believe that a young player needs to be given a taste of real football, whether that be on loan to a championship side or from the bench in our first team if they are a top-class prospect.

 

Some young players take immediately to top-flight football, but you never know if they aren't given a go. Would it really hurt to have one of our most promising young players on the bench in a game like tonight? Give him a run-out for 15 minutes just to taste the atmopshere, and see if he has the balls to run at a Premier League defender in front of 45,000 people in that time.

 

I actually think both Neil Mellor and Ritchie Patridge could have been far better players had they been given more of a taste of the first team at a younger age. Instead they played game after game in the reserves whilst mediocre foreign players sat on the bench. Baros looked dreadful in the reserves, but he just wasn't motivated to perform at his best at that level - he had to be chucked into the first team despite his poor reserve form to actually find out what he could do.

 

I agree there has to be a level of caution, but bear in mind also that over-caution and reserve team football can dull a young players talent, and a taste of the first team can give them the fire they need to become the best that they can be.

[timbean]

Those who watch the reserves regularly say he's nowhere near ready yet

 

 

How could he be ready? Only 17, probably still hasn't unpacked all his bags since moving here, but he has 3 things going for him - potential, Rafa and staff and the fact that he plays in Red.

[magneto]

He's not ready to join the Matrix is Mr Anderson...

[fyds]

I saw him once and he's about 18 months away from a 1st team game assuming he develops in that time. He is now an excellent player at the levels in which he performs.

That's about right at his present rate of growth and progress. If he continues apace he may make the squad next year and get a few Carling Cup outings - after that, well if he gets bigger and stronger as well as continuing his improvement, who knows?

[Leo No.8]

I'd ask this question to add to the debate - how many genuinely top players spent more than 6 months in the reserves?

 

Carra, Gerrard, Macca, Fowler, Owen - none of them spent much time in the ressies...

[Guest AdamS]

I'd ask this question to add to the debate - how many genuinely top players spent more than 6 months in the reserves?

 

Carra, Gerrard, Macca, Fowler, Owen - none of them spent much time in the ressies...

And this is just the problem. People expect lads to come in at 17 and set the world on fire. It happens sometimes with world class players like Owen and Gerrard, but that's one hell of a benchmark. Carra is different, he has taken time to establish himself and become the player he now is.

 

Anderson can't be expected to come in and be like a Giggs or an Owen. If he was in that rank he wouldn't have cost virtually nothing, he's be in the same value bracket as Walcott. He has potential, but can we just calm down?

Edited February 1, 2006 by AdamS

[Guest Anders Honoré]

I'd ask this question to add to the debate - how many genuinely top players spent more than 6 months in the reserves?

 

Carra, Gerrard, Macca, Fowler, Owen - none of them spent much time in the ressies...

 

they (carra aside maybe) and giggs as well were all pure magic when they entered the scene. And macca spent time in the reserves. he played for england's u-21 before he played for the first team.

 

Giggs, Fowler and Owen were all world class players by the time of their 19th birthday. They are very much exceptions to the norm.

Edited February 1, 2006 by Anders Honoré

[Maldini]

Beckham was in the reserves until he was nearly 21

[Leo No.8]

Beckham was in the reserves until he was nearly 21

 

Beckham is a great example - he wasn't doing that much for the reserves, went on loan to Preston and was a success, then made his name at United when he came back.

 

This is my point - if players like Anderson aren't ready for our first team they should be going out on loan next season to play competitive football.

 

More than 6 months of reserve team football, I believe can ruin a young player. They get used to that low-key atmosphere. I wouldn't want to see a kid with Anderson's potential still plodding along in the reserves in 12 months time.

[RedLars]

Beckham is a great example - he wasn't doing that much for the reserves, went on loan to Preston and was a success, then made his name at United when he came back.

 

This is my point - if players like Anderson aren't ready for our first team they should be going out on loan next season to play competitive football.

 

More than 6 months of reserve team football, I believe can ruin a young player. They get used to that low-key atmosphere. I wouldn't want to see a kid with Anderson's potential still plodding along in the reserves in 12 months time.

 

It's important that our youngsters always are challenged when they are playing football be it U-18 or reserve team or the first team. If they are too good for the reserves and not good enough for the first team a loan deal is a very good option (See mellor, Potter or Pongolle), though putting a time frame on it is wrong in my opinion. Players develop at their own rates so each players is different.