Leeds United Chat • Re: Class difference between U21's & the Premier League.
We have a few that are very talented and could make a step up to the first team squad this season. Putting 11 youngsters out against a league team is a different subject to integrating one or two of the bench. Perkins and Gyabi are the best we have right now and I think either one of them could play a small role in the first team squad.
If you threw our entire U21's line up out there though, they would get beat. We have some good options in midfield and attack and but several of the usual starting XI are far from first team football, especially at the back. None of our defensive options are ready for the step up.
It's a different discussion to say a full 21's team would get beat by a L1 team, than just to say that 2 or 3 of these players could offer an option from the bench.
Well said Andrew. The exercise of playing a full U21 team against L1 type opposition is simply to give them some experience of "grown-ups' football and assessing their aptitude at that level. Absolute world of difference than bringing one or two into our full senior team which you would expect at least 9/10 times beat a L1 team (caveat though our history in the League/FA cups not always suggests that).
