NcnsBcfc Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Although I generally hate playing in the Championship due to the inequalities and advantages that Parachute payments and FFP afford relegated teams, there are times that you do get to see young quality talents before they disappear either to Germany or into PL team's reserve squads. For a 17 year, I thought he had an exceptional game against us at right back. Tall, strong, physical, quick but with an ability to glide across the pitch from right back to left wing and then back into a disciplined position again. Reminds me of some of the other young players we've seen down the gate, Bellingham (Jude) for Birmingham, Eze for QPR, Reece James for Wigan (what a goal he scored). I'm sure some of the other teams felt the same way about Scott and Semenyo playing for us. Moving forward it'll be interesting to see how Murphy and Stokes kick on next season. It'll be asking a lot for them to develop straight away into impact players within the first team fold. The pace and physicality of the Champ takes a while to get used and some players never get up to speed. Mehmeti looked an exceptional player in L1, but in my eyes a year on, is struggling to make that leap. He may well have reached his level at L1 and will slowly drift back there. 6 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingHillRed Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 I completely agree and have been telling everyone about him - thought he was superb I remember Jude (he was good too), Eze was unbelievable but missed the Wigan game so didn't see James If Archie Gray isn't snapped up in the next 12 months by one of the big boys I will be absolutely amazed (even if they loan him back) Mehmeti - meh The more I see him the more I think he is not up to the level, flatters to deceive and can't seem to go past a man with any conviction Would rather have Bell out there at the moment 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red84 Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 I'd be surprised if Archie Gray stays in the championship next year if Leeds don't go up. Mehmeti seems to have lost his spark, quite easy for the defenders to read his game. He doesn't have the out and out pace to go past people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 20 minutes ago, NcnsBcfc said: Reminds me of some of the other young players we've seen down the gate, Bellingham (Jude) for Birmingham, Eze for QPR, Reece James for Wigan (what a goal he scored). Still wonder how many fans got Bela and Bellingham mixed up, and accredited all of Bela’s good work that night to Bellingham (both were good)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bredwood Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Yes, he was fantastic. I suppose with those footballing genes in his blood from Eddie and Frankie, he can't fail. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozo Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 I said on the match day thread that he was Alex Scott good. He's clearly also capable of playing multiple positions by virtue of just being a naturally good footballer. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italian dave Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Yes, agree. And like Bellingham, it's not just his footballing ability, what he's also got is a football brain that belies his age. You mentioned Scott and Semenyo - as young players coming through from our academy, I always felt Scott had that, less so Semenyo. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenkibby. Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Can remember his Great Uncle Eddie ripping David Webb a new one in the 1970 Cup Final. Have never seen a winger dominate a full back as much since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NcnsBcfc Posted February 6 Author Report Share Posted February 6 34 minutes ago, italian dave said: Yes, agree. And like Bellingham, it's not just his footballing ability, what he's also got is a football brain that belies his age. You mentioned Scott and Semenyo - as young players coming through from our academy, I always felt Scott had that, less so Semenyo. There was times with Semenyo when he was a differential player. Would create something out of nothing through sheer speed and strength. Scott just did the basics really well and that initial 3-4 burst of speed to create the forward space for him to run into created so many assists to the assisters and got us up the pitch. He would have been perfect in LM's preferred pattern of play now. I really liked Ogbene for Rotherham last year as well, one of the only players that I saw Pring in the 2nd half of the season really struggle against. We of course tried to get that over the line and then lost him to Luton in the PL. I think the Ogbene episode is one of the reasons behind the transfer/loan backs of Stokes and Bird. We won't leave it until the summer again to try to get anyone that goes into the open market. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NcnsBcfc Posted February 6 Author Report Share Posted February 6 43 minutes ago, Davefevs said: Still wonder how many fans got Bela and Bellingham mixed up, and accredited all of Bela’s good work that night to Bellingham (both were good)! For me, it was the physique and presence of Bellingham at only 16 years of age that was so impressive. He had an aura about him, even at that age. Not seen that again, until watching Gray last friday. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back of the Dolman Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 And that was playing at right back which isn’t his best position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUSSEL85 Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 He was incredible, and will be in the Premier League next season either with Leeds or without them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid in the Riot Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Was superb. Hindsight a wonderful thing but seems we made the wrong call on Eze: Crystal Palace star Eze reveals he was scouted by Chelsea before deciding to join Arsenal | All Nigeria Soccer Quote "I went on trial to a few teams afterwards, went to Sunderland, went to Bristol City, didn't get in and then thanks be to God I got signed by QPR, they gave me a year contract, worked for maybe three or four months, got offered a new contract. "From there I started to grow, started to get better, improve, played first team football and from there got a move to Crystal Palace, and that's where I am now." 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NcnsBcfc Posted February 6 Author Report Share Posted February 6 33 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said: Was superb. Hindsight a wonderful thing but seems we made the wrong call on Eze: Crystal Palace star Eze reveals he was scouted by Chelsea before deciding to join Arsenal | All Nigeria Soccer Sammie Szmodics is our version of Adam Webster for Ipswich. I'm sure Blackburn fans are probably completely confused how we jettisoned the top scorer in the Championship after such a short period of time. Albeit we did make some money off the Peterborough deal through initial fee and sell on, it'll be Blackburn that will reap the big rewards. Sometimes things work out at one club and not another, bizarre isn't it. Must admit though there's not too many young players that have been released from City over the last 20 /30 years that have gone on to play at a higher level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Any relation to Blackie Gray? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 46 minutes ago, NcnsBcfc said: Sammie Szmodics is our version of Adam Webster for Ipswich. I'm sure Blackburn fans are probably completely confused how we jettisoned the top scorer in the Championship after such a short period of time. Albeit we did make some money off the Peterborough deal through initial fee and sell on, it'll be Blackburn that will reap the big rewards. Sometimes things work out at one club and not another, bizarre isn't it. Must admit though there's not too many young players that have been released from City over the last 20 /30 years that have gone on to play at a higher level. Which just goes to show how good our judgement is ....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Just now, Bristol Oil Services said: Which just goes to show how good our judgement is ....... Well yes and no IMO, football can be like that. Sometimes players develop differently elsewhere or different times, would he have swum or sunk in the LJ and then onto Holden era. Maybe he needed a spell at Peterborough both in League One and then the Championship. Hindsight is great but what we could have done was put in a buyback, first refusal clause. In case he did flourish at Peterborough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLionLad Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 2 hours ago, stephenkibby. said: Can remember his Great Uncle Eddie ripping David Webb a new one in the 1970 Cup Final. Have never seen a winger dominate a full back as much since. Although Dave Webb had the last laugh in the end. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merrick's Marvels Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 (edited) Gray looked ridiculously good for his age. I look forward to watching him many times more, just not for Leeds hopefully. Edited February 6 by Merrick's Marvels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollsRoyce Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Gray just signed a new contract after rumours of a £40m bid coming. He is certainly an exceptional player. Hard to believe his age, he is a wonderful talent. Leeds getting promoted will probably enable him to stay there a while longer and show his value in the Prem. Then it will be Bellingham/Grealish-type fees. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 3 hours ago, RollsRoyce said: Gray just signed a new contract after rumours of a £40m bid coming. He is certainly an exceptional player. Hard to believe his age, he is a wonderful talent. Leeds getting promoted will probably enable him to stay there a while longer and show his value in the Prem. Then it will be Bellingham/Grealish-type fees. Was about to post the same thing. Read a week or so ago teams were being quoted £40m, can see why now. Bit off topic but their scorer last week, Gnonto is a 20 year old full Italian international, I’ll be amazed if anyone else in the Championship has ever had a player in the Italy squad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lrrr Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 5 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said: Was superb. Hindsight a wonderful thing but seems we made the wrong call on Eze: Crystal Palace star Eze reveals he was scouted by Chelsea before deciding to join Arsenal | All Nigeria Soccer It could be a hard one to be overly critical for us on, probably just like a week or two trial where he maybe got to play a couple of games & train a handful of times. We'd have only taken him in if he was significantly better then what we had in house at the time and perhaps he just didn't have a good week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
formerly known as ivan Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Certainly a player you will say in years to come… I saw him play at the gate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James54De Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 12 hours ago, Davefevs said: Still wonder how many fans got Bela and Bellingham mixed up, and accredited all of Bela’s good work that night to Bellingham (both were good)! Very few, I’d imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Never to the dark side Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 Glad to see he is an Englishman as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcusX Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 Gray is brilliant and he’s only filling in at RB. moved up 2 England youth levels last year too, u17s, 19s and now 20s. big future ahead, they’re doing something right at St George’s Park Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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