Team for Concord

comrade powell wrote:The answer to the question 'why are not more of these younger players coming through?' is usually to do with the lack of competitive football the under 21 players are getting.

True and, perhaps, another reason to put them in the squad, on the bench and even starting wherever possible.

There is a squad list of players on the Football section of The University of Bath website. Yes I to am not sure how much football the actual U-21 squad are getting. Occasionally you here of details of games against Forest Green or Bristol City but these have become rarer.
The University team run 4 teams plus 2 womens sides together with an additional 2 Futsal sides so Wilson may well be very busy overseeing all of that.
The University team play mid week in the BUCS (Brittish University Colleges Sports) League but don't appear to play a great deal of games. In fact Billy Clark`s Academy team appear to play much more Football with games in the Colleges league in midweek and the South West Counties Youth League on Saturday mornings.

It would be beneficial if the U-21`s could join the Football Combination or a Reserve league locally but the Severnside League was tried before without great success.

Do you know what happens at other clubs in this area? Maybe there is a need for something like the Severnside League to be reformed. Can you remember why it was unsuccessful before?

I think last time matches were arranged as as when teams wanted to play without a proper fixture list matches were sporadic and it never really worked.

Their is no reserve/U-21 football league for non league teams in the South Westat all. The Suburban League and Capital League are long establisheds Reserve Leagues for clubs in the Home Counties and Hampshire across to Kent but we have nothing anywhere in the South West, its clearly needed. Joining the Western League would be expensive and not really provide the right environment for our players.

Maybe a South-West Developmemt League
with ourselves, Forest Green, Weston SM, Torquay, Gloucester, Merthyr etc might be useful. Kee it fairly small 8 clubs = 14 matches plus a League Cup and it might provide a good opportunity to see how the youngsters perform at a decent level.

Get your boots on Jim, #485

Think FGR operate at a higher level thru the National League but agree other teans would benefit from such a structure.

Forest Green did as they had a team in the Football Combination with Swansea, Bristol City, Exeter etc. That has now disbanded so im pretty sure FGR do not have a reserve team anymore

I think we'll play Chas as one of three centre backs and move Ball to left wing back, so lining up as:
                                                 Phillips
                        Bowman ---  Gallinagh  Hemmings Batten  --- Ball
                                      Murphy    Kelly    Artus
                                             Pratt       Harvey

Maybe I've missed it, but any news on Andy Watkins return to fitness?

kermit wrote:Maybe I've missed it, but any news on Andy Watkins return to fitness?

According to the Chron, Owers is hopeful Watkins may be fit enough to be on the bench on Saturday.

Manchester Romans wrote:I think we'll play Chas as one of three centre backs and move Ball to left wing back, so lining up as:
                                                        Phillips
                        Bowman ---  Gallinagh  Hemmings  Batten  --- Ball
                                            Murphy    Kelly    Artus
                                                  Pratt       Harvey

Looks a bit light in midfield. Are you suggesting we will go defensive? In which case don't play Pratt and play Kington.

I think it is more likely Gallinagh will be left back/wing back.

Concord played a 4-4-2 at our place if memory serves me correct and were decent in the wide areas, Greenhalgh particularly was a threat. Having Ball up against him who is less inclined to go forward than Bowman will help negate this.
They lacked pace at the back and Andy Watkins and indeed Nick McCootie got in behind them on a number of occasions.
We will need to be strong defensively so perhaps as Owers has alluded to that he might change things we might well play 3-5-2

My team would be this if we line up like that although I would play a 3-1-4-2

Phillips
Batten Hemmings Gallinagh
Murphy
Bowman Artus Kelly Ball
Pratt Harvey

Manchester Romans wrote:I think we'll play Chas as one of three centre backs and move Ball to left wing back, so lining up as:
                                                        Phillips
                        Bowman ---  Gallinagh  Hemmings  Batten  --- Ball
                                            Murphy    Kelly    Artus
                                                  Pratt       Harvey

This was a pretty good shout for the team with the exception of Watkins for Bowman and thus 442 and not 532. Well done.
Looking at the video Harvey and Pratt combined very well in a way we don't get with other striker combinations. Pity he has gone back.