Abundance of youth

[Deleted User 2]

Being somewhat diminutive myself I feel compelled to argue that size isn't everything. Some of the best footballers in the world are far shorter than your average man on the street. In some ways it gives them an edge. I know we are not Barcelona but other than Piqué they are largely Lilliputian, but still built well enough to be strong in the challenge and that. I don't feel Dawson's lack of height will hold him back too much, he just needs to put on some weight, which he probably finds difficult while his body is still growing, it will come soon enough.

We'll agree to disagree, but I was just trying to say we're hoping & assuming, rather than knowing that he will bulk up enough to stand up to opposition well enough to make his skill count. And, without digging up the post-debut discussion about how irrelevant size is, I remember there were a few people concluding there is only so much that skill can compensate for, and that Dawson, at the time, just looked far too easily brushed aside, that's all.

[jjrgreeney]

Slightly worried about Dawson. Jonny Williams of Palace is 5ft6 and a skinny lad too, has become very injury prone and is often played on the wing, possibly to avoid the physical battles of the midfield. Dawson needs to develop a build like Norris and Cazorla in order for him to hold his own, in my opinion.

he is still only a pup mate time is on his side, plenty of time to beef up more about focusing on his football at the moment

He is actually 19 years & two months old, only a year younger than Byram. I don't think that's the age at which a player only focuses on his football, especially one of his stature. The next couple of years will probably be crucial for his career path, but I would say he's definitely got more than the technical quality of his football to think about, because he's got a small mountain to climb on the physical side, which is simply too crucial in today's game.

fair comment but 19 years old is still young age, footballers are coming through younger and younger at the moment but you need to bare in mind he is still a young lad growing, Byram is an exception.

[SMorientes]

We'll agree to disagree, but I was just trying to say we're hoping & assuming, rather than knowing that he will bulk up enough to stand up to opposition well enough to make his skill count. And, without digging up the post-debut discussion about how irrelevant size is, I remember there were a few people concluding there is only so much that skill can compensate for, and that Dawson, at the time, just looked far too easily brushed aside, that's all.

Of course we're hoping and assuming, that's what we do, but I think it's a pretty reasonable assumption that by the age of 21/22 he will look far more like a footballer than a lost child.
I didn't see much of him on his debut mixing with the big boys, so I've only seen him playing for the development side which is less physically challenging, but - and admittedly this is just conjecture - I think he'll be fine.

[dlw10]

You are right in that it is not height that is important - it is strength and power. Problem with Dawson though is that he is just so very spindly that he will be knocked off the ball too easily as we saw when he played for the first team. I really expected him to have bulked up during the summer (Pecky I am sure was going to send him some pies to start him off...) but it hasn't happened and the last time i saw a picture of him with the Dev squad he still looks just the same. As Bogdan mentioned, the lad in over 19 now. Neither of my lads grew much after that.....although both were well over six foot at 14!!!!!!!!!

[jjrgreeney]

You are right in that it is not height that is important - it is strength and power. Problem with Dawson though is that he is just so very spindly that he will be knocked off the ball too easily as we saw when he played for the first team. I really expected him to have bulked up during the summer (Pecky I am sure was going to send him some pies to start him off...) but it hasn't happened and the last time i saw a picture of him with the Dev squad he still looks just the same. As Bogdan mentioned, the lad in over 19 now. Neither of my lads grew much after that.....although both were well over six foot at 14!!!!!!!!!

wish I could say as much im 23 years old and still trying to fill out!! I look like a black haired Per Mertesacker!!

[johnh]

When I started my National Service in 1954 (18yrs old) I was 6ft 1in and weighed 10 stone 7 pounds. When I came out 3 years later (I did an extra year to ensure an overseas posting) I was 6ft 3 in and weighed just under 14 stone. For a young player who is training every day, as long as they eat right and do some weights, they should bulk out even if their metabolism is geared to being small. Even if they don't bulk out their 'inner strength' should improve. In the history of football there have been many 'good little-un's'.

[SiMamu]

Dawson just needs to develop a build like the 5ft8 Norris, he's quite stocky for a short chap.

[Sheepy]

I think there is a psychological element to it, Dawson played a kid when he made his full debut last season, he got stuck in, but he seemed to also hold back a little. When the likes of Batty and Alan Smith made their debuts - both of which I witnessed, they made up for their 'lack of bulk' with just a sheer dogged determination and absolute zero fear for their opponents who were all seasoned professionals.

Dawson will eventually bulk up, but as Johnh says, he needs to build that inner strength.

[Selby White]

This bloke wasn't too big -

[mapperleywhite]

This bloke wasn't too big -

God that brings back some memories!

I was in the prawn sandwich area as a guest of Ciba Geigy. Think I was a bit ungracious to my hosts by punching the air when that goal went in....

It's the only time in my life I've had a hangover at 6:30 in the evening