Thanks, mate. I found it interesting that the Utd commentators highlighted the technical/tactical qualities of our U23s as the primary reason they are top of the league.
The thing I find interesting is tactical level of players we are producing. Woodburn is the first to really demonstrate it at a pro-level but you can see how much difference it makes to a young player to have that built into his game at a young age, it really sets him apart. Woodburn looks more composed and experienced in midfield than some 30 year old veterans because his tactical level is so high.
Based on nothing at all, I believe this could be the finger print of Ljinders (and maybe even starting with Hamberg before him) on our side coupled with his mentoring program. Dutch football always produced very good young players tactically. It's how the young Ajax sides could produce so many teens who could walk into European Cup finals and international football and not look out of place.
In contrast, our first team looks great technically and physically but struggling tactically, particularly in central midfield. In Germany the reserves would play for Dortmund II at lower league level and train with the first team. We are seeing with Moreno the value of training and not playing for resolving tactical gaps in a players game. If Grujic can take a year in U23, and the training pitch to build himself into a ready made component for the first team, it would be time well spent. I think this is the point Rafa wanted to get the youth team at, producing players who were tactically ready for first team football who could slot into his side in emergencies with little drop in quality. Be interesting to see what happens with Wilson, Brewster, Woodburn, TAA, Grujic and Ejaria. How many get a chance, how many will take it.
