Scout's report 6
01/06/2015
So the 2014/15 season has run it's course in Europe's major league's. Let's take a look at the final statistics for the season of the 12 kids we've been looking at for about 2 years now. We'll also look at how they developed over the last year and what lies ahead for them.
Alex Westcott
Since the last report things haven't gone great for Alex. He did however make 1 premier league appearance for Cardiff. He went on to play 13 more youth games and scored 2 goals. With Cardiff having been relegated, he may not have to make a move as with Craig Bellamy set to retire, Steven Fletcher and Jo Inger Berget set to leave the club, Alex will be the second best talent up front on the clubs books. Hopefully they don't make any signings and he'll get a run in the first team.
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Slight development here and there, but nothing major, which is what was expected given his lack of game time and performance in the youth teams. No decrease in ability at all, but he isn't quite looking the prospect he did a year ago. He looks like a strong, tall striker who can head them in. However at just 18 years of age, he has all the time in the world to turn things around.
Jordan White
Goals for fun in the Arsenal youth set up. Ending off the season with 43 goals and 10 assists from 64 games. Jordan finished top scorer with 20 goals in the English Under 18s top level. He also made 1 FA Cup appearance andopened the scoring in a 3-0 win against Preston. Add to that 2 substitute games in the premier league. Arsene Wenger is definitely prepping him for a first team role.
He now has 9 goals from 12 games for Wales u21's.
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Significant improvements in areas needed to be a deadly striker. He now looks like a quick dribbler and finisher. Jordan has definitely taken full advantage of the facilities at Arsenal but perhaps needs to increase his acceleration. He just needs to keep it up.
Damien Young
Moving down to League 2, Damien surely impressed Liverpool head coach Marco van Basten by finishing top scorer and lifting Crewe to the title with 20 goals and 5 assists from 40 games. He also scored 3 goals in 6 cup games. Crewe would probably look to get this young star back on loan, if Liverpool will allow that.
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He has however gone back to the Wales u21 side.
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Slight technical and mental improvements but noticeably huge improvements on the physical side of his game. Damien is now a big, strong striker and can muscle away most defenders.
Matt King
Sadly no first team games for the now 18 year old King. I'm starting to wonder if Spurs manager Luciano Spalletti even knows of his existence. His contract is also due to expire in 13 months time, perhaps he'll look to see it out if he doesn't get game time next year. He made 58 appearances, scored 16 goal and set up 14 for the Spurs youth teams
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Matt has improved quite well in the technical and physical side of his games, but the lack of competitive game time has seen his mental growth suffered. No doubt he would've developed better in all aspects if he had been given game time. He looks like a classic, pacey winger who can whip them in, although his passing will let him down.
Sum Ting Wong
Laurent Blanc will be happy with what he sees from his loan star so far. 19 games and 10 goals in all competitions over in China. Sum will be really eager to start his PSG career when he returns from loan at the end of the year.
Back in the China u22 team for this year's Asian Nations Cup. Sum made a name for himself at this competition and was at it once again!
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Good development here and there, but it seems like the level of football in China is not up to his standard and he really needs to return to PSG if he is to see development like he did last year. Not bad at all though and Sum seems to be developing into an allround forward. A quick and clinical striker.
Muamer Bascelic
Not much has happened over in Greece with Muamer. He ends the season making 33 first team appearances scoring 9 goals and setting up 7. He should be attracting interest from bigger clubs over the summer.
He now has made 10 u21 appearances and scored 4 goals for Bosnia.
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Muamer has done okay over the last year. But he is suffering from the mediocre level of competition and training in his current league and club. A move is essential if he is to fulfill his potential. He looks like a creative playmaker.
Hans Christian Pedersen
The verdict is still out on which of Arsenal's wonderkids is the better goal machine. Having played 47 and scoring 31 for the Gunners youth teams, he is certainly very good competition for Jordan White. He also played 3 cup games, scoring in two for the first team.
After a lack of games for Arsenal's first team, Pedersen was dropped from the Denmark senior side after just 1 cap. He currently also has 9 u21 caps and 3 goals.
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Similar to Damien Young, the physical side of Hans's game has improved significantly which is what you expect from a young striker. His technical and mental skills don't look bad at all but it seems like he can barely pick out a pass or cross. Then again, finishing is all you want to see from your front man.
Victor vi Paulista
With the season in USA kicking off only recently, Victor has played 6 games and got 2 assists. With the Rochester Rhinos still down in the third division, it is very important that this young lad makes a move up to a bigger club in the summer.
Victor has now made 18 appearances and scored 5 goals for the USA u20s.
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Absolutely no technical development, and only slight improvements in other aspects of his game. Victor needs a move to a bigger club as soon as possible. You'd really want a wide man to be a better crosser.
I Kadek Darmawangsa
I Kadek's career has finally kicked off, and at a top club too. 19 games(14 starts and 5subs) for Genk in all competitions, averaging 4.97 tackles per game and completing 75% of passes. He also committed just 7 fouls in all and hasn't been booked once! This lad is fine where he is.
A fully fledged Indonesian international with 11 caps so far.
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I Kadek has improved decently where he needed to, looking a very good CB now. He perhaps needs to improve his heading and marking if he is to ever become a world class defender.
Sasha Thomas
No first team games for this wonderkid. He did make 49 appearances for City's youth sides and scored 22 goals and got 14 assists. A staggering 14 POM performances as well! Things are going well for him but I still believe he needs a loan to a championship team.
Sasha has 2 u21 caps for England so far.
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Sasha is turning into an ideal attacking midfielder. Quick and a passing genius. No significant weak aspect to his game, but he needs some fine tuning.
Dusan Dzajic
So things started really well this season for Dusan, and he opted to turn down a move to Dortmund in the winter. Since then it's been average for him. He made 8 more first team appearances and scored only 1 more goal. Decent season in the end though, 25 first team games and 13 goals.
Dusan has made just 1 appearance for the Serbian u21 team
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Dusan is still looking far from the complete product, but he has done brilliantly to recover from a bad first year and has shown significant improvement in a few aspects of his game. If he moves to a bigger club and continues at this rate, he'll catch up to other stars in no time. At just 17 years of age, he has a long time to go. I see a similar type player to Jordan White here.
Shaahid Jhetam
Things are on the up for the young South African. He moved to Man Utd in January and went on to make 4 appearances for them in the Premier league, FA Cup and Europa League. No goals in the first team games 7 goals and 2 assists from 10 youth games. Keep in mind that's over less than 6 months.
Shaahid was called up to the South African international team and made 2 appearances so far. But he has since been dropped to a lack of games for Man Utd. 12 u20 appearances so far with 11 goals.
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Good development all round, significant mental improvements though. Shaahid has just moved to Man Utd, so if he makes the most of their world class facilities, he'll do much better this year. He is almost everything you need for a quick advanced striker, except the fundamental pace.