Caleb Chukwuemeka

[newhavenhibby]

11 hours ago, useless said:

From what I've seen I think it's less about him being unprepared for first team football and more that he's just been unfortunate to be involved when the games have been really scrappy with not much in the way of football being played, lower league football is one thing, but this was something completely different, almost like a different sport, never mind Caleb, I think some of our first team players would take some getting used to it.

 

 

Absolutely spot on............yes it is a poor standard but extremely physical and the games are often very scrappy. 

We have a lad on loan from Norwich City ( Rocky Bushiri)  and he has made frequent comments since coming into the 1st team 3 weeks ago, it is taking him some time to adjust to the robust nature of the game. In 3 games he has already had to change his boots twice as studs have been put through them.........how he finished the Hearts game I have no idea after he posted a pic of his  bloodied foot and boot.

Fortunately being a centreback he is a big lad and enjoys the rough stuff    Caleb is slighter built and being a forward likes to beat players with quick feet..........unfortunately up here he becomes a target for the cloggers of Scottish football. In England the defenders will try to guide the opposition player where they know there is less danger, ie: show them the inside or outside and wait for an opportunity to knick the ball or block a pass or cross. Up here if you are known to be a player like Caleb then they will be straight into him and will rotate the fouls so the ref doesn't build up a count against any one player. 

He has not been given a chance by Martindale yet who prefers to play the brick outhouse Nouble through the middle and Alan Forrest wide left. Unfortunately it doesn't leave much opportunity for Caleb to make an impact. If I was Villa I'd pull him now especially if some lower IQ Livi fans are giving him grief........idiots. That can be a problem when playing at the "Toni Macaroni" in that they don't have many fans so if a group want to start shouting abuse you can hear every insult.............bring him home

I think yesterday he was used by Martindale simply to waste time as Aberdeen were pushing for an equaliser . No reports of an injury

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by newhavenhibby

[Demitri_C]

This doesnt sound like a good move for the lad

[useless]

Was thinking this loan might be more about the experience and getting used to the physical side of the game, but the experience shouldn't be about getting abused if that's right. If there's any truth to it I'm sure the club will look into it and call him back if need be.

If he does stay hopefully he can prove a few people wrong, not the people abusing him as they don't matter, but rather people writing him off too early.

[NeilS]

I think we should cancel this loan asap, I cannot see how this loan can turn out well from here. It sounds to me like the manager is hanging him out to dry, and the crowd have been on his back. It can't be good for the young lad's confidence to be substituted 7 minutes after coming onto the pitch. Bring him back, and look for an alternative loan in the summer.

Caleb dropped from squad

 

Aston Villa loanee Caleb Chukwuemeka was dropped from Livingston’s squad for their latest fixture, after manager David Martindale criticised his attitude.

Chukwuemeka joined Livi last month following a promising first half of the season with Villa’s U23s.

The 20-year-old forward scored seven goals and bagged five assists in nine PL2 outings, but he’s not finding things quite as easy in Scotland.

Chukwuemeka is yet to score or assist in five appearances for the Lions, with all but one of his outings coming as a substitute.

Last Saturday, he was subbed off just seven minutes after coming on in the closing stages of a league win over Aberdeen.

 

[AvonVillain]

Subbed after 7 minutes! Sounds like the manager just doesn't like him. Was he really that bad?

[Zatman]

In fairness the Livingston manager has a job to win games and if he sees the player having a poor attitude then it sadly needs to be looked at. He is not going to pick on a young loanee for no reason and risk never getting a loan player again. Teams like Livingston cannot afford that hassle. 

You can criticise the fans but like Ipswich and probably soon Swindon with Barry you cannot criticise the club as they need to look out for Number 1

[Zatman]

Just reading Martindale comments he said he needs to learn the dirty side of the game and blamed himself for putting him into that situation. He also said he expects him to be a success and spoke to Gerrard about him

[NeilS]

2 hours ago, AvonVillain said:

Subbed after 7 minutes! Sounds like the manager just doesn't like him. Was he really that bad?

7 minutes does seem to be very harsh in my book, hardly time to get up to the pace of the game. I would say fair enough if he had been on for twenty minutes and hadn't broke a sweat, but he hasn't given the lad time to get involved. It was a statement by the manager in my opinion as it was pretty much the last minute of the game when he subbed him off again. What you need as a young player when the crowd are on your back, is a supportive manager.

[rodders0223]

Any manager that subs any player after 7 minutes is a complete and utter **** disgrace. Gutless turd hanging a 20 year old lad to dry

 

Get ****.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

4 hours ago, NeilS said:

I think we should cancel this loan asap, I cannot see how this loan can turn out well from here. It sounds to me like the manager is hanging him out to dry, and the crowd have been on his back. It can't be good for the young lad's confidence to be substituted 7 minutes after coming onto the pitch. Bring him back, and look for an alternative loan in the summer.

Caleb dropped from squad

 

 

Aston Villa loanee Caleb Chukwuemeka was dropped from Livingston’s squad for their latest fixture, after manager David Martindale criticised his attitude.

Chukwuemeka joined Livi last month following a promising first half of the season with Villa’s U23s.

The 20-year-old forward scored seven goals and bagged five assists in nine PL2 outings, but he’s not finding things quite as easy in Scotland.

Chukwuemeka is yet to score or assist in five appearances for the Lions, with all but one of his outings coming as a substitute.

Last Saturday, he was subbed off just seven minutes after coming on in the closing stages of a league win over Aberdeen.

 

Ok, but what if his attitude actually IS shit?

We've got to look at it from an unselfish point of view as well.

[TRO]

On 06/02/2022 at 00:55, useless said:

From what I've seen I think it's less about him being unprepared for first team football and more that he's just been unfortunate to be involved when the games have been really scrappy with not much in the way of football being played, lower league football is one thing, but this was something completely different, almost like a different sport, never mind Caleb, I think some of our first team players would take some getting used to it.

 

 

I think you make a good point, thats worth digesting.

I don't know the lads skill set, so I can't specifically comment.....but talking generally, this modern game is very niggly and they give you no time to dwell on the ball...they play the man as much as they play the ball, and get away with it, so you have to fight fire, with fire.

The game is faster and the pitch the same size, so there is less space to control the ball.

Players have to work on this and find a way of exploiting the opponent.

I think SG has already mooted the u23's need to play more like the first team, when I have seen clips of the U23's there has been few tackles and challenges, its all too passive for me....when they come in to first team football, they are then shocked. I think SG has picked up on this.

Only now, is JJ coming to terms with the mans game and he looks like he has come through that barrier with colours....so he can now show his talent, as he is.

Its a hard, but a necessary barrier to break and if they don't, they won't make it in elite football.

[useless]

“I ask the players to do the dirty side of the game and that’s what Caleb needs to work on.

“I’m putting a lot of demands on him because I want him playing well for Livingston and going back to Aston Villa as a better football player.

“Ability is not in question, he’s absolutely frightening, if a little bit raw.

“Marvin (Bartley, Livi assistant manager) had spoken to John McGinn and I’d spoken to Steven Gerrard about him. When you’re getting glowing feedback from people of that stature, you listen.

“He’s got all the raw attributes and I do believe we’ll get the best out of him but he’s unfortunately learning the hard way just now.

“Maybe I need to take a portion of the blame for Saturday. In hindsight, did I have to put him on? Probably not.

“But then in my defence, I wasn’t wanting him to go on and bully the full-backs.

“I was just wanting endeavour and work-rate and that was missing – I think that was plain to see.

“You had Omeonga, Pittman, and Holt trying to shut down full-backs then having to drop back in to midfield when we were down to 10 men.

“When he came up, he was to be a no.9. That’s what Aston Villa want him to be and that’s what I was signing but I’ve had lots of conversations with Caleb and he probably sees himself more as a wide player.

“So straight away the profile changes. I was sitting on the bench and I put him on because Joel Nouble wasn’t available.

“Bruce Anderson has played a lot of football and it’s always on the back of my mind that he’s diabetic and maybe his energy levels drop a wee bit quicker and impact him more than others so I needed a no.9.

“That’s why Caleb went on the park and it didn’t work out but I believe he will show his capabilities at this football club.”

Footballscotland

 

[NeilS]

2 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Ok, but what if his attitude actually IS shit?

We've got to look at it from an unselfish point of view as well.

I think there are better ways of getting that across than publicly humiliating a young lad. That is the ultimate embarrassment a sub being subbed, let alone it being after a few minutes on the pitch. 7 minutes at the end of a game is pretty insulting for anyone. That is worse than George Weah’s cousin managed.

Onto this perception of bad attitude, If his attitude is bad, you would have thought it’s been noticed at BMH already. I think the manager is expecting a big strong brute who is going to throw himself about up front ala Duncan Ferguson, that is not Caleb’s game. I don’t think the manager has done his homework here.

[AvonVillain]

10 hours ago, NeilS said:

7 minutes does seem to be very harsh in my book, hardly time to get up to the pace of the game. I would say fair enough if he had been on for twenty minutes and hadn't broke a sweat, but he hasn't given the lad time to get involved. It was a statement by the manager in my opinion as it was pretty much the last minute of the game when he subbed him off again. What you need as a young player when the crowd are on your back, is a supportive manager.

Absolutely no question, completely agree. Incredible that the manager did that. Practically suggesting he'd put on a pub player in error. Jesus Christ.

[newhavenhibby]

I think the substitution was more a question of wasting time and disrupting play ( refs never add on enough) as Aberdeen were pressing for a late equaliser. He came on in the 83rd and left at 90. I think Martindale wanted to leave on the other players who he probably thought were more up for the fight.  There is also a question as to whether he was receiving abuse from the home supporters which if true is very hard on a young lad starting out on his senior career.

Livingston have a great guy second in charge .......Marvin Bartley. Hopefully he can help sort this out.

Haven't looked to see if he is in the squad today for the Hearts cup tie but will keep an eye on it.

[MaVilla]

wasnt in the squad for their game on 2nd Mar.

Injured....or?

[newhavenhibby]

11 hours ago, MaVilla said:

wasnt in the squad for their game on 2nd Mar.

Injured....or?

Don't think so. Martindale has an issue with him and the physicality of the game up here.  Says he is trying to get him ready through training but  only seems to make the bench every other game??   Has been talk that there is a section of Livi fans who have been giving him stick although didn't hear anything when they played us a couple of weeks ago and he was in the squad that day.

They play today v Celtic so will have to wait and see if he makes the bench and more importantly gets on the park.

[Derryvillan]

1 hour ago, newhavenhibby said:

Don't think so. Martindale has an issue with him and the physicality of the game up here.  Says he is trying to get him ready through training but  only seems to make the bench every other game??   Has been talk that there is a section of Livi fans who have been giving him stick although didn't hear anything when they played us a couple of weeks ago and he was in the squad that day.

They play today v Celtic so will have to wait and see if he makes the bench and more importantly gets on the park.

Not in the squad.

[newhavenhibby]

Really think his time is up at Livi and needs to come back to Villa for them to look at other loan options where he can get some game time.

Martindale, apparently, is quite an intense person to get on with and am wondering if there is a clash of personalities with Caleb.

Edited March 6, 2022 by newhavenhibby

[newhavenhibby]

Bruce Anderson, the main Livingston striker has just injured his ankle and could be out for a while. Could be an opportunity for Caleb to step up and get some game time. They play tomorrow at Hearts so will keep an eye on the teams and the game.