Crystal Palace under-23’s played in a fixture against Watford on Friday and lost 3-0. Journalist Matt Woosnam highlighted that this was not a freak result by tweeting out the statistic that the youth team have only won 2 out of their last 21 fixtures (Twitter). This left many fans worried about the future at Selhurst Park.
The squad is currently managed by former Palace player Shaun Derry, who took over after Richard Shaw left the club (Crystal Palace). Derry is managing promising young players like Tyrik Mitchell and Brandon Pierrick, who were involved in the match. Pierrick featured once in the Premier League this season against Norwich (Transfermarkt) and was pivotal in the build-up to the Eagles equaliser.
With the senior Crystal Palace team currently having the 2nd oldest team in the league whilst spending little money in the last four transfer windows, fans are looking more and more to the youth team in the hope that a player will come through as Aaron Wan Bissaka did two seasons ago (101greatgoals).
Here are what fans had to say on the youth team:
#CPFC U23s' 3-0 defeat by Watford at Vicarage Road this afternoon means they have won just two of their last 21 games. pic.twitter.com/O9OXKZjoOo
— Matt Woosnam (@MattWoosie) March 6, 2020
Results aren’t the most important thing at u23 level it’s player development that counts. Results wouldn’t matter so much if we had a couple of players banging on the door of the 1st team. Sadly we don’t have any obvious candidates. Definitely something the club needs to address.
— Dave Lewis (@davelewis22) March 6, 2020
With the average age of the squad the highest in the league and the U23s looking very poor, the future looks terrifying
— Liam© (@liamb0117) March 6, 2020
Anyone know when Richard Shaw last game was? #CPFC
— GazBod (@gazbod) March 6, 2020
‘Play youth players’ https://t.co/21qLcdOUUj
— Joe Knight (@CPFCknighty) March 6, 2020
“If you don’t laugh, your cry”, this is meant to be the next crop of Players? I doubt whilst we’re in the PL anymore than even 2 will make it. Maybe most of the U23s or those not on loan to a decent Championship Club are just not good enough. https://t.co/Vm6wee1R2i
— Kieran Moore (@Kieran_Moore6) March 6, 2020
Where does the academy go in the summer? The influx of new coaching staff doesn’t seem to have had the desired effect. (As an outsider looking in!)
— Steve Burr (@SPBurr4) March 6, 2020
Crystal Palace fans, is the poor performances of the youth academy worrying for the Eagles future? Comment below!
