Ashqar Ahmed

[Clyde1998]

What's people's opinion on Ahmed?

I feel he started well, but has perhaps been found out a bit recently - like Matty Carson in the early spell under Selles. Seems weak defensively in the past few games, but often okay going forward.

Now Yiadom is approaching match fitness and his game time is likely to be reduced as a result, I'd be minded to send him out on loan to a National League side for a month to get him some regular experience at a level he should be able to compete at - perhaps getting him out to a League Two side on loan once the January window opens. We've still got Abrefa as an alternative right-back to Yiadom.

He only turned eighteen this season and has done well for his age and inexperience; still certainly one I can see improving and playing regularly for us in the future (perhaps next season after a loan away).

[WestYorksRoyal]

He's definitely better than Carson, but after a good start he's just not looking ready to play every week right now, which is totally fair enough for a kid who just turned 18. I'd start Yiadom or Abrefa, but I think Ahmed will ultimately go on to achieve more than both of them.

I think being kept around as a squad/cup option is better than a lower league loan. Continue training with better players and allow minutes to be managed. Maybe if he doesn't progress so much this season, loan him next year.

[Orion1871]

Sending him on loan to a national league side when he has been starting in League 1 for two months doesn't sound like it would be great for his confidence.

He has definitely struggled in recent weeks since his bright start at Portsmouth, but I'd rather see him here where we can control his development than see him go and potentially sit on someone else's bench and get no game time.

[Royal Ginger]

Had a great game where everything fell for him. It’s good to know it’s in the locker but he’s been found out since. Breda should be sharing time with Yiadom and Ahmed should be cover when one is injured.

Big lad but too easily dominated. Seemingly terrified to take his man on. Decent defensively but seemingly at the expense of ever getting forward. Just a bit soon for him for my money.

[Orion1871]

Had a great game where everything fell for him. It’s good to know it’s in the locker but he’s been found out since. Breda should be sharing time with Yiadom and Ahmed should be cover when one is injured.

Big lad but too easily dominated. Seemingly terrified to take his man on. Decent defensively but seemingly at the expense of ever getting forward. Just a bit soon for him for my money.

Not sure i agree with the comment on his work going forward. He's got forward plenty of times in recent weeks and was unlucky not to get a couple of assists one for Kyerewaa against Stockport and the Lane shocker against Mansfield.

It's defensively where he's been struggling as he's prone to diving in and Hunt's tactics involve the full backs pushing high up the pitch, so when he doesn't win the ball the winger runs in behind.

[Snowflake Royal]

He's got lots of potential, and I think he's got a decent chance of being a good player for us, but expecting him to play week in week out in a side that's struggling a bit is a mistake.

He needs to be brought in gently and not overloaded.

Personally, I think regular 20 minute sub appearances and cup games would have been ideal for him, and Abrefa's greater age and experience should have seen him ahead.

Yids seems to have come back fairly well so far, but he should be a squad player rather than starter, as he's not the future.

Ahmed's one where it's just game experience he needs, and I think he can get that here from the bench.

[Royal Ginger]

Had a great game where everything fell for him. It’s good to know it’s in the locker but he’s been found out since. Breda should be sharing time with Yiadom and Ahmed should be cover when one is injured.

Big lad but too easily dominated. Seemingly terrified to take his man on. Decent defensively but seemingly at the expense of ever getting forward. Just a bit soon for him for my money.

Not sure i agree with the comment on his work going forward. He's got forward plenty of times in recent weeks and was unlucky not to get a couple of assists one for Kyerewaa against Stockport and the Lane shocker against Mansfield.

It's defensively where he's been struggling as he's prone to diving in and Hunt's tactics involve the full backs pushing high up the pitch, so when he doesn't win the ball the winger runs in behind.

I take your point on the diving in, he’s come undone on that a couple of times.

[The Cap]

Plus he needs to learn how to take a throw in. I mean we're talking about the basics here, right. I know he delivered one on Saturday, possibly two?

[Schards#2]

Plus he needs to learn how to take a throw in. I mean we're talking about the basics here, right. I know he delivered one on Saturday, possibly two?

I came to this thread to say exactly that, it is incredible to me that a professional footballer, regardless of their age, cannot take a throw in properly. This is something most 10 year olds have mastered.

We're not talking long throws into the box, just a basic throw in. How is it possible that this has not been addressed in training, particularly as he plays in a position that necessitates him taking them? Whilst it is a relatively trivial gripe relative to our other problems, it makes me question our entire training regime that this remains uncorrected.

[yuomi]

He's following the same path that Garcia trod before him. Glowing debut and first couple of games, then regressing to the sort of form you'd expect from a player his age. Even if he was a generational talent (and I don't think he is), he's very young to be playing this number of games at this level. Physically, I don't think he's that far off it, but mentally and in terms of rash acts that show his inexperience, there's a lot.

[Snowflake Royal]

Plus he needs to learn how to take a throw in. I mean we're talking about the basics here, right. I know he delivered one on Saturday, possibly two?

I came to this thread to say exactly that, it is incredible to me that a professional footballer, regardless of their age, cannot take a throw in properly. This is something most 10 year olds have mastered.

We're not talking long throws into the box, just a basic throw in. How is it possible that this has not been addressed in training, particularly as he plays in a position that necessitates him taking them? Whilst it is a relatively trivial gripe relative to our other problems, it makes me question our entire training regime that this remains uncorrected.

The problem is football is so rife with petty cheating. Gaining yards, feigning injury, pushing, shoving, holding. They're so rarely called on any of it, they make no effort to follow the rules.

I'm pretty sure I called it out in his first or second league game. He regularly has at least one, if not both feet on the pitch.

He's just not even trying to do a proper throw.

I'd just bin the whole throw in off. Make it a kick on, with 5/10 yard limit on opposition and you can’t shoot.

[hughsies no.1]

Shouldn’t be starting ahead of Abrefa imo

[Jack Celliers]

He looks good for 59 minutes, but has a goal in him in that remaining minute before he is replaced by Abrefa. Hunt needs to have a bit more faith in him and let him play 90 minutes. He is like a man-size version of Garcia and has unlimited potential.

[Snowflake Royal]

He looks good for 59 minutes, but has a goal in him in that remaining minute before he is replaced by Abrefa. Hunt needs to have a bit more faith in him and let him play 90 minutes. He is like a man-size version of Garcia and has unlimited potential.

I think he's actually more likely to reach his potential if he plays less, and there's less pressure and attention on him.

Give him less time to make costly mistakes and poor decisions. Over 90 minutes he'll make 3 or 4 a game. 20 minute cameos, he'll make one or two every few games.

The more mistakes he makes, the more likely it is to affect his game play. He's already taking too many risks he shouldn't and I think our struggles are making that worse.

He has huge potential, but he could just be another talented player who flops if things don't go the right way for him.

Give him a bit of space and time to take the lessons of starting, learn them, make some changes and apply them, then come back in.

Abrefa's a steadier hand. And so is Yiadom. We give away too many silly mistakes as it is, we don’t need more from Ahmed.

[tidus_mi2]

Gonna sound like I'm jumping on the Hunt bashing bandwagon but I feel a good manager would have taken him out of the starting XI at this point not only because he hasn't been great but also as a way to protect him, then he can be eased back in with sub appearances and hopefully build up his confidence again.

Abrefa or even Ritchie can play RB and hopefully Yiadom can come back and stay fit.

[West F]

He is an 18 year old right back. This means he will make mistakes and be caught out on occasion. Young players often have adrenaline fuelled performances where they will take risks based on their exuberance and a confidence in their own ability. He looks powerful at right back, and he could develop into a good player for us. This would be helped if the crowd didn’t groan every time he isn’t Cafu.
As far as throw ons go. I am still surprised that there seems to be a new logic in football that only full backs are allowed to take them. There are hardly any quick throws anymore. I understand that this is due to the negative logic about retaining a teams shape, but every once in a a while wouldn’t it be better to take a quick one before the defending team gets back into shape and organised? It would at least maintain momentum, particularly when you are in their half and on the attack. I mean it is still a rule that you can’t be offside from a throw in, isn’t it?

[Sutekh]

Really good player in there but is inconsistent which is not unexpected given age and experience. In the ideal world he’d be on loan in l2 or the national league to have the rough edges knocked off.

[Hound]

Plus he needs to learn how to take a throw in. I mean we're talking about the basics here, right. I know he delivered one on Saturday, possibly two?

I came to this thread to say exactly that, it is incredible to me that a professional footballer, regardless of their age, cannot take a throw in properly. This is something most 10 year olds have mastered.

We're not talking long throws into the box, just a basic throw in. How is it possible that this has not been addressed in training, particularly as he plays in a position that necessitates him taking them? Whilst it is a relatively trivial gripe relative to our other problems, it makes me question our entire training regime that this remains uncorrected.

The problem is football is so rife with petty cheating. Gaining yards, feigning injury, pushing, shoving, holding. They're so rarely called on any of it, they make no effort to follow the rules.

I'm pretty sure I called it out in his first or second league game. He regularly has at least one, if not both feet on the pitch.

He's just not even trying to do a proper throw.

I'd just bin the whole throw in off. Make it a kick on, with 5/10 yard limit on opposition and you can’t shoot.

All teams would end up just whacking balls long and into the box. Maybe not a terrible thing, dunno

Personally I quite like throw ins, wouldn’t take a lot just to be consistent if they could be arsed to enforce it

[Hound]

Ahmed - loads of potential but Abrefa should be starting in the league at the moment

[andrew1957]

Thought he was one of our best players on Saturday v Exeter personally (I was there so that is not an armchair view). Ahmed is certainly not the finished article but excellent for his age.

Why do so many on here want to pick faults with our young players and bash the manager.