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Koby and Ryan
Two goals from Lee Novak and one from birthday boy Andrew Shinnie saw Blues win 3-0 over Swindon Town at the County Ground last night. Clark was quick to praise his team, stating that he was pleased how the players had adapted to a different formation than previous weeks and expressed delight in how some of the younger players had performed.
It’s pleasing to me that players like Koby Arthur and Ryan Higgins have shown good performances in the boss’s eyes because with everything that is going on, Blues are going to be more reliant than ever on their up and coming youth players. Thinking back to last year’s pre-season Will Packwood and Mitch Hancox both showed up well in friendlies and I think it foreshadowed their moving into the first team; hopefully this will be repeated this year.
Whilst more is known of Koby Arthur after he made his debut last season, I have to be honest and say I’m more pleased for Ryan Higgins that he has been recognised as a talent. As a non-contract player in the development side last year it would have been easy for him to get downhearted or disillusioned with his spell at Blues but he played every game he was in as well as he could and there was definite improvement between the player who joined us at the start of the season and the player who signed a professional contract in April. With Blues a bit short on numbers in the right-back slot the opportunity may well arise for Higgins to push for a position on the bench and potentially even the first XI.
Koby seems to be a burgeoning talent and with his versatility – he can play anywhere across the forward positions – I can see him being an option on the bench from the start. Blues last season lacked pace and energy and the young Ghanaian has both in spades; against tired defences I think he will be able to exploit gaps and use his trickery and confidence to create openings for himself and others. It seems evident by his inclusion in the Ireland trip amongst other pre-season friendlies that Clark sees Arthur as a full first-teamer and the hope is that Blues have found a new gem to polish into a diamond after the sale of Nathan Redmond.
The team really does seem to be taking shape now and I have to admit I am excited for the season’s start. I won’t be able to make the trip to Oxford on Saturday or Shrewsbury on Tuesday but I can confirm that I will be covering the development squad fixture on Thursday against Solihull Moors where I hope we’ll get the chance to see the next batch of young talent to come off the Blues production line. That game will be played at Solihull’s Damson Parkway ground and the tickets cost £5 for adults, £2 for concessions and are free for under 12s.
In other news, recently released Blues Academy midfielder Fisayo Adarabioyo will be playing for a Manchester United XI on trial against Waterford Utd of the League of Ireland first division tonight. Adarabioyo was signed on a two-year deal at the start of the 2012/13 season but left by mutual consent in March of this year.
Tags: Fisayo Adarabioyo, Koby Arthur, Ryan Higgins
50 Responses to “Koby and Ryan”
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any news on who the other trialists are apart from Davis and McGurk?
One of the trailists was Darius Vassell!
i did chuckle 34 could he still score goals in championship…..i bet he got pace of snail now lol
another good victory, with novak and shinniesta looking more than capable players.
cant wait for season to start, bring on watford!.KRO.
i mentioned it before koby is quality, how far the lad wants to go is up to him imo
Higgins deserve a lot of plaudits imo simply because the lad has risen himself out of the gutter all by himself. Cannot the knock the lad for his self determination keep going bcfc will support you will reach your dream……….good on son kro
Mark, I would agree with everything you say about the Lad, and just add that his Parents deserve great credit as well for bankrolling him for last Season , it must have cost them a few pennies .
Correct me if I am wrong chas – they are both bluenoses……
Don’t know , Mark. There was an article in the Mail last year and I remember thinking, what great parents. I know it is what a lot would do, but a lot wouldn’t either.. I hope he succeeds, if only for them.
I thought he hailed from Warrington and grew up an Everton fan (and was on Everton’s books)??…..not sure why he’s parents would be bluenoses
Reading the Everton Site, he is a Liverpudlian , so I doubt his folk are Blues Fans.
i mentioned it before koby is quality, how far the lad wants to go is up to him imo
Higgins deserve a lot of plaudits imo simply because the lad has risen himself out of the gutter all by himself. Cannot the knock the lad for his self determination keep going bcfc will support you will reach your dream……….good on son kro
Dan – koby is diamond, and i believe the fans will get over Nathan quite quickly ……and this new found prodigy will emerge to be the fans next favorite………… imo………his stock is already rising………..
Most of the reports I’ve heard last night were that we were shite
Is your surname Clark?
Does it matter just a meaning less game its all about fittness ready for the real games that will be the time to worry about performaces
Bit like your big announcement……..obviously the reports you read appear to the same……blues had a excellent game, good workout, burke was on top of his game…..and the reports from bcfc are likewise…..again your information and source must come from da mirror……….
Probably James ‘Mr Villa’ Nursey. He talks a load of sh1te too.
James Nursey isn’t a villa fan.
You surprise me.
yes he is the villa mug!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxtstCEY1-I&feature=youtu.be
Sounds like an excellent performance to me.
Last nights game sounded like a good workout, !!. Hope it is simular against Oxford, ?.
The main worry about your article, is CAN we keep these young lads, — Given the present financial circumstances, ?.
Having lost 3, already, Pray god we do not lose more, !!!!!!.
There’s was a person called Lee who trumpeted the FACT that he’d heard from a ‘reliable source,’ that there was going to be a ‘BIG announcement’ on Monday.
There’s always one!
Koby did look good last night but Redmond leaving was not about how good he was but the fact he was local. The damage Carson yueng as done to this club is irreversible
Can’t say I was any more bothered to see Redmond go than I was to see Scott Dann or Curtis Davies, except the fee was an even bigger joke. To my knowledge we have no sell on fee…..
Being local is not a factor whatsoever for me.
Another positive is Randolph .. during his watch between the sticks not let in any goals … Doyle has let in 5 so far
how very true kimberley, randolph looks the part, looks confident and looks a unit aswell.
if doyle gets between the sticks for any games this season its close your eyes and hope
for the best time. hes never been a no 1 and never will, weve sent him on loan god knows
how many times but the buggers keep sending him back.KRO.
I don’t understand why we are playing Liam Davis when it has been made clear that he will not be given a contract and we will be getting Shane Ferguson on loan instead. Could LC have given one of our players a runout instead.
I think Koby will be better than Redmond. Let’s hope we can see a few seasons of this young talent before PP trades him in for his 30 pieces of silver.
Is there any news on the injuries to Green, Adeyemi and Eardley?
According to that reliable source “Sky Sports” Liam Davis is signing for Blues,afternoon show at 3pm approx.
The away kit is being launched on monday…. that’s probably what the BIG announcement is. Or Zigic has taken a leaf out of Higgins’ book and is going to play for nothing this season ;D
Close… Ziggy will not be paid cos but his agent will sue us for £4m and put us into admin !
Makes you wonder how match reports get twisted : / I didn’t think there were any negatives from last night and far from being shite !! It can be difficult trying to work out how decent we played against a club from a lower division that had played the previous evening but we looked pretty good. Agree that Randolph looks the part, he came for more crosses last night than Jack Butland did all last season ! Bartley and Burn look very promising , as did Olly Lee . difficult to single anyone out as a below par performance. Hopefully keep playing that brand of football when it matters and I’m just happy to see young lads earning their living rather than ‘names’ just doing the bare minimum and picking up a huge wedge
According to Tatts in the BM, only 4 Swindon players that played against Spurs started last night. So they were fairly fresh I would think.
So were we playing their reserves?
Ask Tattum.
I would do but he and his organ tend not to have info until well after others report matters!
I was there with Dad last night and – once we had worked out who all the new faces were!! – I thought we played well last night and had balance.
Randolph – had about 5 saves to make and commanded his area well
Eardley – worked well both tracking his winger and on the overlap with Burke
Bartley – looked a little leaden footed at times but made a few good tackles and headers
Robinson – solid and steady as usual although may be done for pace with better Forwards
Hancox – great overlapping runs and closing down. He’s come on a lot
Lee – a solid performance albeit he did misplace a few passes
Elliott – showed his experience and distributed well. Awful shot on goal though!
Burke – still our best player by a mile. Bossed the wing, got into great positions and tried (unselfishly) to get chances on a plate for the front two
Arthur – my MOTM. He looked fresh, lively and his interplay with Hancox is working already
Shinnie – took a while to get going but got into a good position for his Birthday present (goal) and supported Novak well
Novak – slow off the blocks but more agile than Ziggy (no surprise). Worked hard and took his goals when the chances fell
Subs
Burn – looked okay and I can imagine he’ll be a menace from set plays in any box. Mobility may be a worry
Mullins – solid and tidy. Perhaps he CAN play as a Centre back???
Higgins – played like a man possessed for 15 mins. He’s proving a point to LC and did it well with his ground coverage and overlapping runs alongside McGurk
McGurk – again looked lively and could be a good bench player. Played some nice passes and got a few decent balls into the box too
Reilly – full of beans and didn’t really have time to impact a friendly but he did his job and closed down the men well
Davis – made some nice runs down the flank. A little clumsy at times but he has energy and drive
All in all I think we set ourselves up well and played well. The true tests come at season proper but I have a feeling we may be surprised by this team more times than not this year, and with Fergie coming in and Spector, Murphy, Packwood et al coming back soon I feel positive about things right now.
3 Strikers goals and a clean sheet….in 30 degree heat?
…what’s not to like?!!!
KRO
Fantastic assessment neil. Thank you.
Just a thought, but, for some reason, I seem to remember that Hayden Mullins, when he first came through with West Ham, was a centre back. Maybe my memory is playing tricks?
You could well be right there StaffsBlue. He may be earning his stripes there for us too!
Thanks Neil
Good feedback on the game, couldn’t make the game stuck in Manchester.
So is Hull our only difficult game? I hope the new players don’t find the Watford game a bit of an eye-opener
Julian I am sure they’ll cope.
More sure than I was when they battered us at Stans last season…and I watched it live!!’
With your assessment already neil are we missing king and shabba iyo??
Good comprehensive assessment Neil, maybe you should have Tatts job.
Oh you guys…STOP it!!! Haha!
I only have a few things to say: King and Shabba who???
Let’s move on shall we?
KRO
Can anyone tell me why we released Fisayo Adarabioyo
Have just watched the extended highlights of the Swindon game on Blues Player. What came across very strongly was the word “honesty” regarding the players. They may not be superstars but I think we will enjoy watching them this year if that is an example of the effort they are willing to put in.
Just hope the fans stick with them if we make an uncertain start and lose a couple of games.
Lee Clark and the boys deserve EVERYONE’s support.
Save your derision for Pannu et al !
Absolutely agree with that. Don’t barrack the manager and players, who are doing their very best for us…. save it for the owners, who are the cause of all the problems.
According to Colin Tattum this morning, we’re going after another midfielder… Scott Allen from the Baggies. Apparently, he ran the show when Portsmouth beat us 4-1 under Hughton. Aren’t we going to be a bit top heavy in midfield, with Ferguson coming in too?