Liverpool FC Forum

[Reg]

Liverpool's youth players show promise for the future - 06 Apr 2009

Liverpool have handed young striker Nathan Eccleston a new, two-year contract to stave off interest in one of Anfield's brightest prospects from a number of their Premier League rivals, with Blackburn and Everton thought to be among those tracking his progress.

The club's youth system has come under fire in recent weeks for not producing a single first-team player since Stephen Warnock, now at Blackburn, despite millions of pounds of investment.

Eccleston, an 18-year-old England youth international, though, is just one player whose promise suggests that might be about to change.

Krisztian Nemeth - Hungarian international striker likely to be the first of Rafa Benitez's imported youngsters to make the breakthrough at first-team level. Picked up from Liverpool's feeder club MTK, Nemeth is a ruthless finisher, although doubts remain over his lack of pace. A broken cheekbone on his debut put an end to a January loan spell at Blackpool, but that Benitez namechecked him as a reason for selling Robbie Keane two weeks later suggests his future his bright.

Dani Pacheco - Rafa Benitez plucked the Spanish prodigy from Barcelona two years ago and Liverpool's staff retain high hopes they may have unearthed a gem. His displays for the first team in pre-season hinted at what was to come, full of clever touches and excellent control, and the 18-year-old is expected to be promoted from reserve level next season.

Adam Pepper - A 17-year-old attacking midfielder in just his first year at Liverpool's Academy, Pepper is already regarded as the brightest prospect on Merseyside since Wayne Rooney. After a string of excellent performances for the under-18s, Pepper gave a glimpse of his potential when he scored from the half-way line against Blackburn last month. Xabi Alonso would be proud.

Lauri Dalla Valle - Another beneficiary of Benitez's global scouting network, Dalla Valle is a Finnish youth international boasting a clinical ruthlessness in front of goal. Hughie McAuley, the under-18s manager, regards him as a "real asset" while his countryman Sami Hyypia regards him as "one of the names for the future."

Thomas Ince - Despite his father, former Liverpool captain Paul Ince, making his name as a snarling midfield enforcer, the younger Ince is a quick, exciting left winger who has made a big impression in his first year at the club's Academy. Only 17, his physical presence has improved and, along with Pepper, he is seen as the home grown youngster most likely to make it to the first team in the coming years.
++

Nice to see positive news for once.

[metalhead]

I heard and read somewhere that adam pepper could be the next big thing since gerrard and owen.

[Reg]

Thanks that concise report Metal !!

[JoeTerp]

Can't say I have been all that blown away by Pepper this season. Very much in the Irwin and Spearing mold with a bit more flair but only a bit more.

[RedBlood]

i think we have alot of talent in the reserves and youth teams and its only a matter of time before the likes of nemeth, pachecco, san jose, saric, bruna, pepper etc make an impact on the first team like insua has

but people really have to be realistic, were a top 10 team in the world (atleast) and getting young players into that team will be very hard, the money involved in football and the pressure to perform is so intense now its hard for any teenager to step into that enviroment regardless of talent

[GOAT]

I heard and read somewhere that adam pepper could be the next big thing since gerrard and owen.

I think that;s just a load of hype

Lauri Dalla Valle is probably the most exciting for me, along with Pacheco and Nemeth

[JoeTerp]

I heard and read somewhere that adam pepper could be the next big thing since gerrard and owen.

I think that;s just a load of hype

Lauri Dalla Valle is probably the most exciting for me, along with Pacheco and Nemeth

LDV is the most exciting for me too. He has a Torres look to him. 

Pacheco has only been average to slightly above average this season, but he is still young and I think he is the type that needs to play with other high class players to truly shine.  What I do like is that he seems to have toughen up and even filled out a little bit since arriving. In ressie matches he takes too much time on the ball, but its not like he has Torres and Gerrard out there flying around for him that he can play some nice one touch football with. He also needs to work on trusting his goal scoring instincts instead of trying to assure himself by taking an extra touch, which usually ends up in him getting closed down by the defender.

I know its not fair to judge Nemeth on this season due to injuries, but I am really starting to cool on him. But I wont write him off either.

Center half seems pretty decent as well with San Jose and Kelly looking like solid prospects and Huth and Ayala not to shabby either. And it will be interesting to see what Hobbs is like after spending so much time out on loan.

[RedBlood]

I heard and read somewhere that adam pepper could be the next big thing since gerrard and owen.

I think that;s just a load of hype

Lauri Dalla Valle is probably the most exciting for me, along with Pacheco and Nemeth

LDV is the most exciting for me too. He has a Torres look to him. 

Pacheco has only been average to slightly above average this season, but he is still young and I think he is the type that needs to play with other high class players to truly shine.  What I do like is that he seems to have toughen up and even filled out a little bit since arriving. In ressie matches he takes too much time on the ball, but its not like he has Torres and Gerrard out there flying around for him that he can play some nice one touch football with. He also needs to work on trusting his goal scoring instincts instead of trying to assure himself by taking an extra touch, which usually ends up in him getting closed down by the defender.

I know its not fair to judge Nemeth on this season due to injuries, but I am really starting to cool on him. But I wont write him off either.

Center half seems pretty decent as well with San Jose and Kelly looking like solid prospects and Huth and Ayala not to shabby either. And it will be interesting to see what Hobbs is like after spending so much time out on loan.

i think your right on pachecco

imo hes a step above reserves already and probally knows it too, he would be much better with better players around him making intelligent runs as his vison is probally his best asset

[stmichael]

The club's youth system has come under fire in recent weeks for not producing a single first-team player since Stephen Warnock, now at Blackburn, despite millions of pounds of investment.

Not one single first team player since Warnock? So off the top of my head, Mellor, Potter, Raven, Guthrie, Spearing, Darby, Kelly, Welsh, Whitbread and Hobbs dont count?

[tubby]

But St Michael aside from Pottor and Mellor who had little stints in the 1st team in 2005 who else has broken into the first team let alone looked like they could hold down a place there?

[Reg]

The club's youth system has come under fire in recent weeks for not producing a single first-team player since Stephen Warnock, now at Blackburn, despite millions of pounds of investment.

Not one single first team player since Warnock? So off the top of my head, Mellor, Potter, Raven, Guthrie, Spearing, Darby, Kelly, Welsh, Whitbread and Hobbs dont count?

St Mick, Mellor I remember because of one memorable CL goal, none of the others have proved themselves nor played 2 consecutive games. Half of them I´ve never heard of despite Joe Terp´s posts!

[tubby]

The club's youth system has come under fire in recent weeks for not producing a single first-team player since Stephen Warnock, now at Blackburn, despite millions of pounds of investment.

Not one single first team player since Warnock? So off the top of my head, Mellor, Potter, Raven, Guthrie, Spearing, Darby, Kelly, Welsh, Whitbread and Hobbs dont count?

St Mick, Mellor I remember because of one memorable CL goal, none of the others have proved themselves nor played 2 consecutive games. Half of them I´ve never heard of despite Joe Terp´s posts!

Can't forget that last minute screamer against Arsenal either. 

[Reg]

ABLETT SALUTES BOUZANIS HEROICS  - Paul Hassall 07 April 2009 

Gary Ablett hailed the heroics of goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis after his man of the match display in the reserves' 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers. 

The Australian stopper produced a string of top drawer saves to keep Liverpool in the Ewood Park encounter before substitute Vitor Flora earned a share of the spoils with a well-taken goal late on.
 
"Dean had a great game," Ablett told Liverpoolfc.tv. "At 1-0 he pulled off a number of great saves to keep us in it.
"He had to play well because we didn't perform anywhere near the level I expect of us.
"I don't think they had to play particularly well to get through us and that's disappointing. But credit to our boys, they kept going.
"We've played better this year and lost games but we've had the rub of the green tonight."
 
The Reds started brightly but struggled to maintain possession, allowing Blackburn to slowly gain control of the proceedings.
It inevitably led to an opening goal from Carlos Villanueva and Ablett admitted his side had to battle hard just to stay in the contest.
"I'm delighted with our work ethic," he said. "I don't think we retained the ball as well as I would expect and in the first half there were only two or three occasions when we put anything together.
 
"The only time we played any football in the second half we went and scored a goal from it. Maybe we were as poor as I've seen in terms of keeping the ball and that needs to improve."
 
Asked about the goalscoring impact of Brazilian substitute Flora, he said: "It was great movement for the goal. As the keeper came out he managed to put it in the corner. He finished it well.
 
"We are pleased with Vitor because he's had a tough time and hasn't had much football. But he's come on and proved his worth for us."

In the absence of Stephen Darby, Mikel San Jose captained the team while Daniel Ayala returned from injury. Academy starlets Lauri Dalle Valle, Nathan Eccleston and David Amoo were named on the bench.
 
Liverpool team:
 
Dean Bouzanis
Emmanuel Mendy
Steven Irwin
Mikel San Jose
Godwin Antwi
Victor Palsson
Ryan Crowther
Daniel Ayala
Krisztian Nemeth
Daniel Pacheco
Vincent Weijl
 
Subs
Vitor Flora
Martin Hansen
Nathan Eccleston
Lauri Dalla Valle
David Amoo

Note; highlights link available via the club website.

[Rorschach26]

i think we have alot of talent in the reserves and youth teams and its only a matter of time before the likes of nemeth, pachecco, san jose, saric, bruna, pepper etc make an impact on the first team like insua has

but people really have to be realistic, were a top 10 team in the world (atleast) and getting young players into that team will be very hard, the money involved in football and the pressure to perform is so intense now its hard for any teenager to step into that enviroment regardless of talent

Top 5 atleast

[Ace Ventura]

Just watched the semis of the youth team, was happy for the lads still think that Stevie Irwin is our best bet at moving on, he has been played out of position but looks class.

Get Kenny in there as well and were set.

When is the final btw ?