On Monday afternoon West Bromwich Albion faced struggling locals Aston Villa in our Under 23 competition this year.
It was an incredibly strong side on paper with a number of senior players on display, but the squad also included a number of names fans will be familiar of when it comes to our next generation.
Bond, Mears, Leko, Ferguson, Howkins, Field, Harper, Edwards, Robson-Kanu, Hoolahan, Burke.
Albion took the lead through Hal Robson-Kanu but Villa levelled matters up in the second half to take a point from the game, but it did spark rather an interesting conversation and comments on social media given recent criticisms thrown at both our senior players but also head coach Darren Moore as we fell to back to back Championship defeats.
100% can score past midfielders in goal he’s class
— matt (@matt_wba) October 29, 2018
He showed his speed but was always next to the defender and allowed the defender to recover. Didn’t really change up what he did, always down the line. In terms of Mears, poor positioning for the Villa goal. Left the guy in so much space.
— Foxy???? (@fox_cal_wba) October 29, 2018
Yeah but agree on what you say, can see why Moore doesn’t bring many youngsters into the side or on during the game in the league.
— Foxy???? (@fox_cal_wba) October 29, 2018
Villa u18s tonight, the u23 team didn't play.
— Harley (@PJ_Harley) October 29, 2018
Exactly my point though. We shouldn’t see players like houlahan and Kanu for the u23s. It should be Morton, Tulloch, Clayton-Phillips. If they’re not good enough for the first team get them gone. We don’t need 35 year olds on £30k a week playing for the u23s. Burke in Kanu out
— Henry Whittaker (@HenryWBA6) October 29, 2018
Mears, Field, Harper, Edwards, Leko, Hoolahan, Kanu, Burke
Couldnt get a win? Maybe they aint as good as believed .— JackFalco (@GlitterGang_) October 29, 2018
If one looks at the @AVFCOfficial U-23 side tonight & reads their fans' comments, one will realise that a number of Villa U-23 regulars were absent in view of Villa's CL Friday home clash vs Bolton. Albion really should have cruised through this with the team put out.
— Conrad Chircop (@conradchircop) October 29, 2018
I think most would accept you can’t overly read into a single game, but equally, there’s plenty of work for West Brom to do and necessary improvements are required despite what I consider to be a very good start to the 2018/19 campaign given where we find ourselves in the table at the moment.
Our youth show promise but we can’t overly rely on them – they should be getting greater game time though to bring them on further, but if that is what Moore has seen regularly – it’s understandable as to why he sticks with the more tried and tested even if fans have issues with some players.
I’m no avid following of our youngsters so can’t overly comment, but it is potentially another side to the selection story.