I think Fulham ran out of steam during extra time - our bench stronger than their's and that meant when our players tired there was less of a drop in quality than Fulham had
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Player Spurs Youth 2025/26
- Thread starter Spursidol
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I think Fulham ran out of steam during extra time - our bench stronger than their's and that meant when our players tired there was less of a drop in quality than Fulham had
Yeah, it looked like they collectively hit the wall.
Nice end to the game. Hopefully the U21s follow suit.
U21's have a real chance now - we play Brighton u21 or Wham U21's who both finished the PL2 league on 30 points in 12th and 13 th places versus Spurs finishing on 35 points in 8th.
Having just beaten Chelsea who fished top of PL2 league and with the game at home advantage in this next match we should go into the match confident that we should be able to match or better either of them, and get into finals with luck - something I was really sceptical of doing just a few weeks ago.
Question for this thread
We have been winning and producing good youth players so our system is working.
• 2023–24: Premier League 2 winners (U21s) — league stage + play-offs.
• 2023: U18 Premier League Cup winners.
• 2023: U17 Premier League Cup winners.
• 2025: U17 Premier League Cup winners
Chelsea did this about 10 years ago and a whole batch of players like Rice and James came from their system.
We now have alot of big names at youth level but is the club set up right to actually integrate and use them?
We have been winning and producing good youth players so our system is working.
• 2023–24: Premier League 2 winners (U21s) — league stage + play-offs.
• 2023: U18 Premier League Cup winners.
• 2023: U17 Premier League Cup winners.
• 2025: U17 Premier League Cup winners
Chelsea did this about 10 years ago and a whole batch of players like Rice and James came from their system.
We now have alot of big names at youth level but is the club set up right to actually integrate and use them?
In a word.... No.
This is a summer when that question has to be addressed.
Players such as Phillips and Devine have been on loan for 2 years plus - either they are good enough to come into Spurs first team (and with likes of Bissouma and Dragusin likely to leave there will be 'squad' places opening up for them) or the club wants to buy players they consider better. And a few others to consider with only one year on loan.
Phillips is tall ( 6 ft 4 I think) and powerfully built, good on ball, excellent passing out, speedy, good defender, can play both LCB and RCB and was high enough thought of by Stoke to make him their captain (he also captains E u21's). IMO he's a better fit for Spurs than Dragusin who is not good enough on ball, so an upgrade on everything but experience
Devine is versatile can play as a deep lying mid, AM, CM or emergency on wing
(played there for E u19's due to shortage of wingers and too many cm's .... and candidate for motm), decent goals, assists, high level of tackles even playing AM. Dynamo seems to never tire, decent set piece and penalty taker. IMO an upgrade on the inconsistent Bissouma and Sarr who other than powerful running and decent shot is very average versus Devine
Lankshear has had only one season on loan, and played a lot, but has shown he can score goals at Championship level, knows where the goal is and is powerfully built. Strikers are like gold dust throughout europe as they are hard to find. IMO we'd be mad not to keep Lankshear in house and use him as a rotation striker - other clubs would be delighted to have him.
Moore again one season on loan where he has done well (after a season at Spurs given lots of time mainly off bench). Spurs are desperate for players in his position, and whilst there may be arguments to loan him for another season, I'd hope we didn't
There are a few others who could catch the managers eye, including several who have not been on loan (T THompson, LWB, Byfield, Rowswell et al ) who manager might want to give bench time too.
So, imo plenty of choice of talent who if they were at other clubs Spurs might be looking at.
Spurs need a major squad refresh, and IMO cannot afford to buy top 'already proven' talent costing say £80m each ....... and we might want to change say 10 out of our current 29 man squad ...... without earning that much in fees from players we sell/let go.
So if it were me, I'd be looking to incorporate 4/5/6 youngsters into preseason squad and into 2025/27 squad unless they failed the preseason audition ..... allowing me to buy/loan in 4/5/6 experienced players at high prices, Otherwise I don't see how we make enough changes to the squad.
Incidentally it is perfectly likely that a number of the youngsters who join the squad are found not to have improved enough to become a top player and is replaced in another 12 months time. That's not a failure, its a natural part of taking a risk to bring in youngsters (or indeed same if squad is NOT changed enough as we found this season after little change last summer)
Phillips, Abbott, Devine, Donley, Scarlett and Lankshear all played in that team together. Time to get the band back together if you ask me.
Yeah, it seems like the changes to the academy are finally beginning to bear fruit and it would be a shame to let it rot away.
We haven't had this much depth in potential for decades, now is the time to start using it, at least to see how it goes.
Highlights of the U16 Cup Final. A bit annoying with the Fulham commentary but the ending makes it sweeter
View: https://youtu.be/-Zl_FS9wZd4?si=AIWSsR2Iajl0A7LT
View: https://youtu.be/-Zl_FS9wZd4?si=AIWSsR2Iajl0A7LT
One of the big differences between Fulham and Spurs on the day (which Fulham ignored on day) was that it was a fairly warm day and an intense game for both sides and inevitably the youngsters tired and needed subbing.
But whilst Spurs had some real alternatives to bring on and change the game (the classic must be Philogene-Bidance scoring a great goal about 3 mins coming on to bring Spurs back into game at 3-2 down ...... and indeed Haughton-Sinclair subbed on to score Spurs 5th goal), the Fulham bench had relatively average players whereas Spurs had real depth and even star quality on.
But whereas Spurs had players on the bench to bring on
Did I read that was his 60th goal of the season?!
I know the name and his reputation but as the young ones games are rarely shown, I've not managed to see much of him.
Or any of that age group really.
What's he like as a player?
Several sources in last couple of years have reported numbers like that for his season total, so 60 goals might be correct - but I do not know whether these are for league games against other top youngsters or include games more akin to park kick arounds, so don't reply too much on these numbers. However its clear he's a top goalscoring talent.
The goal he scored yesterday showed he was alert to be in right place right time to score from a rebound from another players shot, didn't panic at all and hit his shot cleanly and hard in a bit of a lob (see video above of match at about 11 mins).
From the bits on videos I've seen he can score all sorts of goals and will create opportunities for others. He's still in Spurs u15's (Spurs u16's in 2026/27) but think we will see him playing up in Spurs u18's from time to time as he's clearly very talented - until then nobody's really seen him enough to give a detailed appraisal other than he's potentially very very good !
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Good to see the highlights of the game. Got to laugh at the absolute state of that Fulham commentary team. They're reporting on a game of 14-16 year olds fgs.
Wednesday 6 May @ 11.30 - Reading u18 v Tottenham u18
Last u18 Squad
B Irow, Thomas (Myrtaj 83), Agyekum (Vidal-Philbert 57), Hanson, Tingey, Tye Hall (c), Boast, Feeney, Elliott-Parris (Adewole 57), Muslika, Glancy (Salter 68).
Substitute (not used): D Thompson.
Maybe time we saw more of the u16 players in place of a couple of weaker u18 players, Sandiford a regular u18 these days, but most of the u16 squad we saw beat Fulham looked good enough already to be in u18 squad ?
Just one more PL u18 match (one week time, on Tuesday v WBA) after this one before end of season
Last u18 Squad
B Irow, Thomas (Myrtaj 83), Agyekum (Vidal-Philbert 57), Hanson, Tingey, Tye Hall (c), Boast, Feeney, Elliott-Parris (Adewole 57), Muslika, Glancy (Salter 68).
Substitute (not used): D Thompson.
Maybe time we saw more of the u16 players in place of a couple of weaker u18 players, Sandiford a regular u18 these days, but most of the u16 squad we saw beat Fulham looked good enough already to be in u18 squad ?
Just one more PL u18 match (one week time, on Tuesday v WBA) after this one before end of season
He danced past Rowswell at one point, few Grealish similarities