[Albion] Haydon Roberts

[Dunk&Disorderly]

[tweet]1177149317754294273[/tweet]

Great stuff!

 

[BensGrandad]

I hate to say it but when picking the team to play Roberts was the one U23 that I selected as he is going to be very good. Richards and Baluta did ok at times and looked promising the rest unfortunately were totally out of their class and showed it, but hopefully they will learn either here or at a lower league club. Hard baptism for too many of them. . I an ideal world 3 would have made their debuts alongside established first team players but this isnt an ideal world. I thought when Longman came on he looked to be more threatening than Connolly and put himself about well. I thought Connolly was too intent on going to the ground and unsuccessfully claiming a free kick

 

[dazzer6666]

Connolly looked excellent - he's going to be a star - as did Roberts. I wasn't overly impressed with Richards last night, seemed a bit lazy. Thought Longman looked good when he came on too - strong and fast, and wasn't afraid to hit a fierce shot early on after a good run. Button looked a bit shaky to me - punched too often instead of catching and didn't dominate his area.

 

[Machiavelli]

Oh, I thought Button looked good. Made numerous saves, and I think it was him that really kept the score down. I do wonder whether he could have done a bit better with the first goal though because, from memory, he didn't clear the cross effectively.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I hate to say it but when picking the team to play Roberts was the one U23 that I selected as he is going to be very good. Richards and Baluta did ok at times and looked promising the rest unfortunately were totally out of their class and showed it, but hopefully they will learn either here or at a lower league club. Hard baptism for too many of them. . I an ideal world 3 would have made their debuts alongside established first team players but this isnt an ideal world. I thought when Longman came on he looked to be more threatening than Connolly and put himself about well. I thought Connolly was too intent on going to the ground and unsuccessfully claiming a free kick

It is entirely unfair to try to judge whether individual players were 'out of their depth', when the entire team were so under strength. Jenks was good, for example, but to really judge how good, you'd like to see him alongside a first team CM, rather than covering for Baluta all the time. Roberts was excellent - how much MORE assured might he look, playing alongside Webster and Dunk? etc, etc.

And what way did Longman look 'more threatening' than the player who beat the keeper and hit the underside of the bar? How much more threatening can you be?

 

[blue-shifted]

It is entirely unfair to try to judge whether individual players were 'out of their depth', when the entire team were so under strength. Jenks was good, for example, but to really judge how good, you'd like to see him alongside a first team CM, rather than covering for Baluta all the time. Roberts was excellent - how much MORE assured might he look, playing alongside Webster and Dunk? etc, etc.

And what way did Longman look 'more threatening' than the player who beat the keeper and hit the underside of the bar? How much more threatening can you be?

Longman did alright. Most of the time he was on the rest of the team had given up trying to score after Grealish’s goal or were too knackered after chasing the ball for 70 mins to get near him, but he made an impact.

 

[BensGrandad]

It is entirely unfair to try to judge whether individual players were 'out of their depth', when the entire team were so under strength. Jenks was good, for example, but to really judge how good, you'd like to see him alongside a first team CM, rather than covering for Baluta all the time. Roberts was excellent - how much MORE assured might he look, playing alongside Webster and Dunk? etc, etc.

And what way did Longman look 'more threatening' than the player who beat the keeper and hit the underside of the bar? How much more threatening can you be?

I disagree with what you say about a couple of points especially in relation to Baluta who stood out as one who could play the game and didnt need anybody to 'cover him' and as I have said I will not name failures as it doesnt help them.. Longman was much more physical than Connolly and didnt spend his time laying on the ground claiming a free kick.

 

[Easy 10]

It is entirely unfair to try to judge whether individual players were 'out of their depth', when the entire team were so under strength. Jenks was good, for example, but to really judge how good, you'd like to see him alongside a first team CM, rather than covering for Baluta all the time. Roberts was excellent - how much MORE assured might he look, playing alongside Webster and Dunk? etc, etc?

Exactly. Which is why I'd question how much benefit our kids REALLY got out of last night. I'm all for giving them a chance in a 1st team fixture such as this, but it has to be alongside some 1st team players, or at least some experienced squad players. I'd have had no more than 3 U23 / U18's in the starting lineup, alongside some of our fringers and a couple of 1st teamers.

Throwing them all in, with only Duffy and Bong as the experienced pro's, and with ZERO experience on the bench, I think all they'll have learned is that they couldn't get anywhere near a half-paced Villa. And we all knew that before a ball had been kicked.

 

[Triggaaar]

Centre Backs are the new gold dust and we seem to have accumulated quite a nice collection!

We'll just give them to Bournemouth.

 

[Kazenga <3]

I disagree with what you say about a couple of points especially in relation to Baluta who stood out as one who could play the game and didnt need anybody to 'cover him' and as I have said I will not name failures as it doesnt help them.. Longman was much more physical than Connolly and didnt spend his time laying on the ground claiming a free kick.

Connolly appealed in admittedly Zaha fashion once. You've totally let this cloud your view. He won a free kick in the first min having burned 2 of their defenders for pace and would have bean clean through had he been able to keep his balance. Skinned two more on the way to forcing a save, then cannoned one off the underside of the bar from an acute angle, also remember him searing down the wing and cutting in to get a shot off with 0 support.

Longman acquitted himself well and showed a bit of strength to get a shot away but to say he was more threatening than Connolly is ludicrous.

Watch the highlights of Connolly's run and shot, his pace and balance and the manner in which he shifts the ball so quickly is seriously impressive. A bit Aguero-esque given he's quite short and stocky. Will be some player.

 

[Postman Pat]

Exactly. Which is why I'd question how much benefit our kids REALLY got out of last night. I'm all for giving them a chance in a 1st team fixture such as this, but it has to be alongside some 1st team players, or at least some experienced squad players. I'd have had no more than 3 U23 / U18's in the starting lineup, alongside some of our fringers and a couple of 1st teamers.

Throwing them all in, with only Duffy and Bong as the experienced pro's, and with ZERO experience on the bench, I think all they'll have learned is that they couldn't get anywhere near a half-paced Villa. And we all knew that before a ball had been kicked.

Given the nature of the team I am surprised that Crofts didn't play some part, that bit of experience could have been useful

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Connolly appealed in admittedly Zaha fashion once. You've totally let this cloud your view. He won a free kick in the first min having burned 2 of their defenders for pace and would have bean clean through had he been able to keep his balance. Skinned two more on the way to forcing a save, then cannoned one off the underside of the bar from an acute angle, also remember him searing down the wing and cutting in to get a shot off with 0 support.

Longman acquitted himself well and showed a bit of strength to get a shot away but to say he was more threatening than Connolly is ludicrous.

Watch the highlights of Connolly's run and shot, his pace and balance and the manner in which he shifts the ball so quickly is seriously impressive. A bit Aguero-esque given he's quite short and stocky. Will be some player.

Spot on

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Given the nature of the team I am surprised that Crofts didn't play some part, that bit of experience could have been useful

Also injured

 

[Arthur]

I think you're being harsh. Beyond his movement, quick feet, quick thinking, and ability to get a shot in quickly with power despite little back lift which I was well aware of, there were other features that stood out and were far clearer from close up. First, he's exceptionally quick, and out-paced their expensive CBs on more than one occasion. Second, he's got an excellent touch, which was most in evidence during his hold-up play when pressured by older, stronger, bigger CBs. And finally, his decision-making was extremely promising, he managed to size up precisely what options were open to him (whether to get into a position to shoot, whether to win a free kick, how to use his body when receiving the ball).

I'm some what in between your two opinions. He caused them a lot of problems when running directly at them but once again showed his finishing isn't up to much currently. Work at getting that better and he is going to be one hell of a player and will score a lot of goals.

Don't think anyone had a bad game last night but it really was men against boys literally. In the same breath though can't say anyone really stood out with maybe the exception of Richards but that was down to his mirrorball boots.

Not bothered about losing the game last night but slightly concerned about the depth of our squad.

 

[Machiavelli]

Connolly appealed in admittedly Zaha fashion once. You've totally let this cloud your view. He won a free kick in the first min having burned 2 of their defenders for pace and would have bean clean through had he been able to keep his balance. Skinned two more on the way to forcing a save, then cannoned one off the underside of the bar from an acute angle, also remember him searing down the wing and cutting in to get a shot off with 0 support.

Longman acquitted himself well and showed a bit of strength to get a shot away but to say he was more threatening than Connolly is ludicrous.

Watch the highlights of Connolly's run and shot, his pace and balance and the manner in which he shifts the ball so quickly is seriously impressive. A bit Aguero-esque given he's quite short and stocky. Will be some player.

Great overview. Exactly how I saw it too.

 

[Machiavelli]

I'm some what in between your two opinions. He caused them a lot of problems when running directly at them but once again showed his finishing isn't up to much currently. Work at getting that better and he is going to be one hell of a player and will score a lot of goals.

Don't think anyone had a bad game last night but it really was men against boys literally. In the same breath though can't say anyone really stood out with maybe the exception of Richards but that was down to his mirrorball boots.

Not bothered about losing the game last night but slightly concerned about the depth of our squad.

You've made me reiterate/reinforce my opinion on Connolly. For you to say that "his finishing isn't up to much currently" is odd. He's now played about four games for our first team. One in last year's Cup we'll forget about. Against Southampton, I'll grant you that -- he had a great opportunity that he spurned, and also had a fine opening in which he was caught offside when he'd have been clean through. Against Newcastle, he had one opportunity which was by no means easy, and did everything he could, and his debut PL goal was only prevented by a quarter of a ball and some excellent last-ditch defending. Last night, everything he did looked extremely encouraging.

And all of that is in his first few games against top level opposition. In my view, he really doesn't need to work on his finishing. We just need to keep our patience, and not unnecessarily hike up our expectations.

 

[schmunk]

Connolly has played 148 minutes in the League Cup - scoring once, and 49 minutes in the Premier League. Give him a chance!

 

[blue-shifted]

Connolly has played 148 minutes in the League Cup - scoring once, and 49 minutes in the Premier League. Give him a chance!

Yes. Some strikers come in and don't especially look as if they have goals in them. Connolly is not one of those

 

[West Upper Seagull]

Exactly. Which is why I'd question how much benefit our kids REALLY got out of last night. I'm all for giving them a chance in a 1st team fixture such as this, but it has to be alongside some 1st team players, or at least some experienced squad players. I'd have had no more than 3 U23 / U18's in the starting lineup, alongside some of our fringers and a couple of 1st teamers.

Throwing them all in, with only Duffy and Bong as the experienced pro's, and with ZERO experience on the bench, I think all they'll have learned is that they couldn't get anywhere near a half-paced Villa. And we all knew that before a ball had been kicked.

These were my thoughts too. When I saw the 2 line ups I resigned myself to watching a defeat before a ball had been kicked. Surely Bissouma needed more game time for example unless the first team squad is carrying more injuries than we know about. And just our luck, we play that many kids and it was our only genuine first team player that went off injured !
Was seriously impressed with Haydon Roberts, he definitely looks like the new Dunk coming through the ranks.

 

[blue-shifted]

But back to Haydon .... What you also have to emphasise is that he's only 17. Born May 2002. For a Centre back, to come in against proper strikers and not be outclassed is an achievement, but to be able to show such composure on the ball is a complete credit to him. It also says to me, that he's probably going to grow further and mature as an athlete