Youth/Development Team Thread

Too easy for Roberts at that level, get him in the team and put Forrest in the development team until he decides if he wants to sign a contract or not.

 

going on the updates Roberts was brilliant again tonight.

 

No surprise, he needs the experience at a higher level, I'm fine with him being fed in slowly but he should be on the bench from now on to get him some sub appearances and work his way in from there.

 

he should hopefully start getting some games soon.

 

Cheers for the updates Crow..

 

no problem.

 

What's with all the senior players? Seems counter productive

 

Roberts impressing again eh...

Are the development games at Lennoxtown open to fans?

 

aye.

 

Is it free entry and do many people go to them? I fancy heading down for one some time.

 

not sure if it's free or not.

you would be best asking Paul The Tim who was at tonight's game.

 

Cheers

 

Tonight's match report.

Patrick Roberts bagged a brilliant brace as Celtic’s Development Side turned on the style to defeat Dunfermline 4-1 at Lennoxtown and stretch their lead at the top of the table to six points.
The on-loan Manchester City player, who had scored and impressed on his debut for the second-string 10 days ago against Motherwell, tormented the Pars for the 75 minutes he was on the pitch.
It only took him 12 minutes to open the scoring with an exquisite finish after he had been supplied by Scott Allan.
He then setup Paul McMullan for number two moments later after some trickery on the byline, before Ryan Christie got in the act with a clinical effort into the corner.
With 11 minutes still to play in the first half, Roberts got his second of the match with another fantastic finish. Collecting a pass and bursting into the box, he casually scooped the ball over goalkeeper Cammy Gill.
Although the Pars reduced arrears after the break through Paul-Joseph Crossan, the Bhoys had plenty more chances to add to their tally in a stylish showing, which was watched by Ronny Deila and the rest of the first-team management team.
A number of senior players, including Tyler Blackett, Charlie Mulgrew, Tom Rogic, Christie, Roberts and Scott Allan featured for the Bhoys to get some game-time under their belts.
But there was also a youthful composition to the team with 17-year-old goalkeeper Ross Doohan making his first start between the sticks, having spent a period on loan at Lowland League side Cumbernauld Colts.
In total, Tommy McIntyre made seven changes from the side that swept Motherwell aside 4-0 in the last league outing at Cappielow.
Into the starting XI came Doohan, Blackett, Calum Waters, Rogic, Mulgrew, Christie and Allan at the expense of Conor Hazard, Jamie McCart, Aidan McIlduff, Joe Thomson, Eoghan O’Connell, Regan Hendry and Carlton Cole.
The hosts were soon in the ascendency, spreading the ball around and probing for openings. Roberts was soon causing problems for the Pars defence, darting in from the right flank with pace and purpose and he carved out the first clear opening of the match.
After making another penetrative burst inside, he teed-up Allan, whose low shot was saved by Gill, with the loose ball scrambled clear.
But within two minutes, Celtic made the breakthrough and it was Roberts who was the architect. Taking a wonderful touch from Allan’s pass, he drove into the area and picked his spot, curling a shot in off the far post.
And Roberts was to the fore again as McIntyre’s side added a quick-fire second. Showing some nimble footwork he drove along the byline and lofted the ball over goalkeeper Gill which gave McMullan the simple task of nodding home.
It has been one-way traffic, but Doohan was called into action in the 17th minute to make a smart, low stop from David Hopkirk in the box.
Normal service quickly resumed, however, as Christie, Rogic and Allan all tried their luck as the pressure continued to mount on the Dunfermline goal.
In the 31st minute, their resistance was broken again as Christie confidently rifled into the corner after another quick exchange of passes.
The movement and link-up play of the home side was proving too hot to handle for the visitors and another sweeping passage of play culminated in Roberts sealing his double.
The 19-year-old still had plenty to do when he sped into the area but he left Gill stranded with a sublime chip that nestled into the far corner.
There could have been even more damage before the break but Gill thwarted Roberts, pushing away his stinging drive, while Christie fired over.
McIntyre’s side resumed where they had left off in the second half, with Rogic, Mulgrew and Christie having attempts soon after the restart.
But John Potter’s side managed to reduce arrears following a swift counter-attack, with striker Crossan taking a touch before drilling beyond Doohan.
Celtic responded with another wave of pressure and a flurry of chances, with Christie coming close twice after combining with the dangerous Roberts.
McIntyre’s side spurned further opportunities to make the final scoreline more emphatic in the closing stages, but it was ultimately a satisfying night for the young Hoops, who will now turn their attentions to Friday’s away fixture against Dundee United.

 

[ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0A5Z-eNHbts[/ame]

 

Christie and Roberts look like kids with big futures in the game.

 

Good to see Roberts lobbing the keeper a lot, not seen much of that since the King of Kings.

 

Next year, if the 'kids' keep progressing could see:

A.Keeper
Janko, Sviatchenko, Simunovic, tierney
Ajer, Henderson
Roberts, allen/christie, Nesbitt
Griffiths

That leaves boyata, McGregor, rogic and all our more experienced players to form up around this 'future crop', with the rest of the development squad to be bled into it.

Not saying that's our best team - would be reckless to ditch some of the experience, but it could be done; would work, and would be (keeper outstanding) an average age of about 23ish. That's nearly a youth team in itself... don't get people bashing the talent we have in our extended first team. There's players for years to come in the mix already, and some great stuff in the wings as we're seeing from the depth of our development teams results...

 

Get Christie back up to ICT till the end of the season. Cruel to the lad and stupid to take him away from the benefits of top flight first team football to have him play out the season in the Dev team at a level he's long surpassed.