James Wilson

Rossa said:
Good post, mate, and thanks :)

I'll have to pay attention to the lad, methinks.
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Gollini, Ben Pearson, Tom Thorpe, Joe Rothwell, Josh Harrop, Andreas Perreira, Sean Goss, Matthew Willock, Ashley Fletcher...all players worth a look and that's before we get to the ones on loan
 
londonredmaniac said:
Gollini, Ben Pearson, Tom Thorpe, Joe Rothwell, Josh Harrop, Andreas Perreira, Sean Goss, Matthew Willock, Ashley Fletcher...all players worth a look and that's before we get to the ones on loan
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Future is looking bright then! Nothing better to have academy players make the rank. A Class of 92 renessaince is something I have little faith in, but if just one or two of them can make the cut, then that will be brilliant. I think I've only heard about Pearson, Thorpe, Perreira and maybe Rothwell. As you can see, I'm not one to follow the U-teams much.
 
Macheda gave some outstanding performances for the reserves at 17. In terms of God given talent he's second to very, very few players who have come through the academy in the last couple of years but I guess he didn't want it bad enough in the end. Several of his academy contemporaries described him as lazy and a poor trainer which might explain why he didn't push on but at 17 he was easily as good as Danny, Will Keane and Wilson. He was an exceptional prospect with a well-rounded game, it always surprises me when people describe him as not that good and a finisher only.
 
Kiko wasn't that great. He blew hot and cold. He wasn't particularly quick either. Rossi, King and Cofie in parts showed more natural ability and hunger. It could be down to attitude, but at the end of the day evidently he wasn't as good as he thought he was. He was a very good finisher but I think we're doing better in that area then we have for a long time in terms of prospects

Don't get me wrong btw - I was spoilt watching young Rossi :( Now, he was a player. Never really saw that same ability in kiko.
 
I watched the Perreira video and he stood out in that, was just about to ask who the big lad was. I like the look of him though, tall gangly, quick, good dribbling, high work rate. I'm going to start taking more interest in the youth games.
 
Striker10 said:
Kiko wasn't that great. He blew hot and cold. He wasn't particularly quick either. Rossi, King and Cofie in parts showed more natural ability and hunger. It could be down to attitude, but at the end of the day evidently he wasn't as good as he thought he was. He was a very good finisher but I think we're doing better in that area then we have for a long time in terms of prospects
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He was more consistent in his early reserve team career than Welbeck, Keane, King and Cofie were. And the latter two never showed anything close to Kiko's level of natural ability.

Like I said; the Kiko-revisionism never ceases to amaze.
 
The youth games are brilliant. Half the time they play better football then the first team :)
 
Elliott said:
He was more consistent in his early reserve team career than Welbeck, Keane, King and Cofie were. And the latter two never showed anything close to Kiko's level of natural ability.

Like I said; the Kiko-revisionism never ceases to amaze.
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What kind of player was he and what went wrong in your opinion?
 
Elliott said:
He was more consistent in his early reserve team career than Welbeck, Keane, King and Cofie were. And the latter two never showed anything close to Kiko's level of natural ability.

Like I said; the Kiko-revisionism never ceases to amaze.
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Couldn't agree more.
 
JaffyJoe said:
What kind of player was he and what went wrong in your opinion?
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A natural born goalscorer and a good line-leader. He wasn't half bad when dropping deep either.

Talent alone only takes you so far. I don't think he had the dedication to turn potential into class. Seems to me he's not only stagnated but actually regressed.
 
Elliott said:
He was more consistent in his early reserve team career than Welbeck, Keane, King and Cofie were. And the latter two never showed anything close to Kiko's level of natural ability.

Like I said; the Kiko-revisionism never ceases to amaze.
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Yeah but Elliot Kiko was only a better goalscorer then those mentioned. He's pretty limited - maybe because of his attitude.
 
Your views on academy players is more often than not spot on but we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. His performances for the u18s and reserves were that of a pretty complete young forward. Perhaps it's the fact that he never really strutted his stuff at first team level - with one brilliant exception - which has led to the myth about Macheda's limitations.
 
Somewhat pointless question re Kiko.

Did he score 2 individual hat tricks against Newcastle, one in his academy days and then the one for the reserves shortly before his famous goal against Villa?
 
Wilson's really progressed to the next level this season, his game is far more rounded and taking on more responsibility. As he fills out and becomes more powerful he's going to be a real handful when he steps up to the seniors if he continues to work hard on his game.
 
Jaybezia said:
@noodlehair

Yes agreed 100% except the fact that IMO Macheda did look better than Welbeck in the reserves, a lot attributed that to the fact he was a year older but he did always look very one dimensional I think it's fair to say.
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He might have looked more effective but Welbeck even at the time looked miles ahead of him in terms of natural ability. I did think Macheda had half a chance to be honest. If not at United then at a decent level. He just didn't seem to get the breaks and he doesn't quite look the same player now. I remember watching them both in the reserves though and thinking Welbec was the one who could rely on his natural talent.

The same with the likes of Janujaz, Morrison etc. Often they don't affect games as much as other players or as much as you think they should, but you can tell when they pick up the ball and what they do with it, that they're just that much more comfortable and natural in their ability. Wilson has that for me. He seems to have improved hugely since the first few times I saw him.

It's why Daehli leaving seemed so strange because he seemed to have it aswell. Also I really liked the look of Jack Barmby but haven't kept up with the reserves/youth teams so much of late so no real idea what's happened to him.
 
Decotron said:
Somewhat pointless question re Kiko.

Did he score 2 individual hat tricks against Newcastle, one in his academy days and then the one for the reserves shortly before his famous goal against Villa?
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I think you might be right about that. That hat-trick for the reserves is probably the best performance I've seen by a 17-year-old at that level. Took the piss out of Cacapa all game long.
 
jb8521 said:
Machedas a year younger than Welbeck and while Macheda always looked more composed in front of goal Welbeck always looked the better all round player and scored goals out of nothing
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More or less agree with that. Welbeck looked fabulous apart from the fact that he never scored enough goals. If Welbeck had his day he could put 4-5 away but then he could go a month without scoring again.
 
Elliott said:
Your views on academy players is more often than not spot on but we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. His performances for the u18s and reserves were that of a pretty complete young forward. Perhaps it's the fact that he never really strutted his stuff at first team level - with one brilliant exception - which has led to the myth about Macheda's limitations.
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It's probably more to do with what I like in forwards more then anything else. I like dynamic forwards. That's why Rossi, Cofie, King, Keane, Wilson excited/excite me more. It's not just goals which I think is more the Frazier campbells and Ashley Fletchers of this world. I might be being harsh on Kiko, but he wasn't the quickest. Talented, clinical but not quick and not always the hardest working player. Maybe could beat a man but more often then not a striker who needed others to create chances for him.

I do think he had it in him to be a striker for us but was overtaken by Welbeck who simply worked harder - was the better player. That is more important then a natural goalscorer because to improve you need to have the desire to work for it.
 
Added to the Champions League B list and given the shirt number 46. Good to see. I've got high hopes for him.
 
I'm just looking forward to seeing him in the U21 side!

Very exciting player, ruthless finisher with size and pace, but I'm most impressed by his composure and his confident manner. Seems a very intelligent player, can poach a goal or run from the midline past half the defense and finish.
 
Gerald G said:
Added to the Champions League B list and given the shirt number 46. Good to see. I've got high hopes for him.
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That's good to hear. I think someone posted a few months back that he was training with the first team.
 
This kid is ridiculous. One of the best prospects ive seen at Utd (yes, hes that good).

Only thing that will stop him is attitude. If he applies himself correctly hes a certainty to be a Utd centre forward
 
I've been watching United underage teams for 5/6 years now, and the best players I've seen in that time were Januzaj, Morrison and Pogba. Wilson is there or thereabouts, I'd say.
 
Just watching the Wolves match, hes clinical, but we've known that for a good while now, hopefully can go out on loan for the first half of next season and come back and get involved in the first team squad.
 
Might be on my own with this one. But he reminds me of a more mobile Alan Shearer. He his big, strong, powerful and can finish. In my opinion, he has the making of a top quality old fashioned number 9. Long way to go though.
 
Feck me, I haven't seen much of this lad but I knew from what I'd heard that he was a top prospect, and boy do them gifs back that up.

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I've heard rumours that he's about to be promoted, any truth on it?
 
Bestie07 said:
Read them somewhere about a week or so ago as well. Can't seem to remember where though.
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If Hernandez is off in the summer then I see no reason not to take a chance on him, in fairness even if he's not off in the summer he may be worth taking up.
 
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