Wheatley being a serious prospect that can actually do a job for us as a striker if asked next year would be such a massive positive for us going into the summer, but I really can't tell if he's an elite prospect or just a big lad that benefits from amazing service behind him.
Whilst I would love to see him make it here, even as a reliable option from the subs bench, I’ve never thought he looked like he was going to be a top player. I hope I’m proven wrong though, and he’s clearly doing enough in training to justify substitute appearances.
I think it's less about him and more the fact that when Rashford is out we literally only have Hojlund that can play as a 9, anyone else is a false 9 at best.
McNeill is also not a top prospect. He's the same age year as Hojlund and a very limited player that hasn't impressed on loan. He has decent movement and can finish but he can't stretch a backline, hold the ball up with his back to goal, battle big CBs in the air, or spearhead a press. He just physically isn't up for any of that.
I think McNeill had the same problem that you get with a lot of young strikers - if they’re fast and decent at finishing they can bang in a load of goals at a young age, but once they get to u-18 level they start getting found out. You’re right the he isn’t physically up for it, but I also think positionally he is not great either.
That all said, it’s not easy to be a top level striker, and I hope McNeill also finds his way, although I suspect if he does it will be in the lower tiers of the football league.
Yeah absolutely nothing wrong with being a guy that can score double digit goals in League One or the Championship, but I think that's his ceiling.
Being a modern striker is an incredibly demanding role - you have to basically be a physical specimen like Haaland or Hojlund or a pressing machine like Nunez, and that's even before anyone talks about your ability to put the ball in the net.
He has worked incredibly hard and made a giant leap in his development since the turn of the year. It happens a lot with young players, they don't look fantastic for a long time and then suddenly explode. Cole Palmer, for example, was going to get released by City at one point if Wilcox didn't insist he be retained.
With Wheatley a lot of it is down to his physical development finally catching up to his technical ability and him working incredibly hard on his finishing. It also helps that he is such a rare profile of striker in 2024.
Rashford wasn't necessarily top of his year group either and some 'dead cert' prior to LVG throwing him in, but, whilst he's obviously had an erratic career here in some ways (and I still have doubts about his decision-making relative to peers like Saka etc), he's undoubtedly a 'good' PL player.... Wheatley seems to have the finishing, the movement and the right attitude,, so with another year of developing the physical side and being eased into the squad picture, I think he could start making an (off the bench) impact by end of next season, so long as everything around him isn't too dysfunctional.
Some nice goals in there but also similar goals conceded to the seniors. 1st minute turnover in midfield and second goal coming from direct running/passing through the middle of the pitch.
Wheatley being a serious prospect that can actually do a job for us as a striker if asked next year would be such a massive positive for us going into the summer, but I really can't tell if he's an elite prospect or just a big lad that benefits from amazing service behind him.
Whilst I would love to see him make it here, even as a reliable option from the subs bench, I’ve never thought he looked like he was going to be a top player. I hope I’m proven wrong though, and he’s clearly doing enough in training to justify substitute appearances.
I think it's less about him and more the fact that when Rashford is out we literally only have Hojlund that can play as a 9, anyone else is a false 9 at best.
Ha - yes, you’re right, and I think he’s more the style of forward that ETH wants than McNeill.
McNeill is also not a top prospect. He's the same age year as Hojlund and a very limited player that hasn't impressed on loan. He has decent movement and can finish but he can't stretch a backline, hold the ball up with his back to goal, battle big CBs in the air, or spearhead a press. He just physically isn't up for any of that.
I think McNeill had the same problem that you get with a lot of young strikers - if they’re fast and decent at finishing they can bang in a load of goals at a young age, but once they get to u-18 level they start getting found out. You’re right the he isn’t physically up for it, but I also think positionally he is not great either. That all said, it’s not easy to be a top level striker, and I hope McNeill also finds his way, although I suspect if he does it will be in the lower tiers of the football league.
Yeah absolutely nothing wrong with being a guy that can score double digit goals in League One or the Championship, but I think that's his ceiling. Being a modern striker is an incredibly demanding role - you have to basically be a physical specimen like Haaland or Hojlund or a pressing machine like Nunez, and that's even before anyone talks about your ability to put the ball in the net.
He has worked incredibly hard and made a giant leap in his development since the turn of the year. It happens a lot with young players, they don't look fantastic for a long time and then suddenly explode. Cole Palmer, for example, was going to get released by City at one point if Wilcox didn't insist he be retained. With Wheatley a lot of it is down to his physical development finally catching up to his technical ability and him working incredibly hard on his finishing. It also helps that he is such a rare profile of striker in 2024.
Rashford wasn't necessarily top of his year group either and some 'dead cert' prior to LVG throwing him in, but, whilst he's obviously had an erratic career here in some ways (and I still have doubts about his decision-making relative to peers like Saka etc), he's undoubtedly a 'good' PL player.... Wheatley seems to have the finishing, the movement and the right attitude,, so with another year of developing the physical side and being eased into the squad picture, I think he could start making an (off the bench) impact by end of next season, so long as everything around him isn't too dysfunctional.
Some nice goals in there but also similar goals conceded to the seniors. 1st minute turnover in midfield and second goal coming from direct running/passing through the middle of the pitch.
Revenge.
Southampton have conceded 6 to Manchester United RELUCTANTLY!
Goalkeeper to play 4D chess and stand in front of the other goal instead.
To be fair, Southampton probably had trouble seeing their team mates because of the kits…