Found this on the Sly Sports Website and thought why not post it on here for comment - Link is http://www.skysports.com/football/transfers/scout/0,24035,15198_5928423,00.html

Sky Sports Scout - Lauri Dalla Valle

We run the rule over Liverpool teenager [b]Lauri Dalla Valle[/b]

By Sky Sports Scout Last updated: 18th February 2010


Sky Sports Scout is our exciting feature where we scour the globe looking out for the best talent and bring you a report on what we find.

Our Scout will report back and you can comment on what you think of our appraisal.

Latest under our scout's gaze is Liverpool's Lauri Dalla Valle.
The scout reports...

After watching recent displays at Under-18 level, we report on one of the most exciting attacking talents from the Premier League Academies, Liverpool's Lauri Dalla Valle.

The Finnish striker shot to prominence last season in his club's run to the FA Youth Cup final. Since that time a style and eye for goal, which has earned frequent comparisons to club colleague Fernando Torres, has led to a promotion to the reserves.

Dalla Valle began his footballing career in Finland at JIPPO before spending three months with Inter Milan. He then returned to his boyhood club before joining Liverpool in 2008.

The 18-year-old was reportedly a transfer target of Chelsea in 2007, while a number of other European clubs were also interested in his services before Liverpool's Academy offered a three-and-a-half-year contract following a trial.

Dalla Valle has represented Finland at U16, U17 and U19 level but he could yet choose to play for Italy as a full international because he would qualify for the current world champions through his Italian father.

But how good is the youngster? Well, at one stage in his Liverpool U18s career he had scored 20 goals in 28 appearances and so is obviously a genuine talent with a bright future.

The comparisons with Spain star Torres are not drawn from Anfield hype. Dalla Valle's 35-minute hat-trick against Leicester in this season's FA Youth Cup highlighted similarities in terms of awareness, gliding physical speed and work-rate.

Naturally right-footed, but also comfortable on his left, he has superb strength despite a small frame and demonstrates on a regular basis that he is capable of holding possession before using his passing skills to bring midfielders into play.

Dalla Valle has the striking instinct to be in the right place at the right time and possesses a ruthlessly rapid speed of thought when inside the 18-yard area, a trait in all top-level forwards, while he is also more than capable of scoring from long range.

As with a lot of players of his height, there is a need to improve his heading ability. But that could come with age and experience.

The scout says...

Although not at his best in Monday night's FA Youth Cup defeat to Watford, Dalla Valle appears to have all the characteristics to become a major talent in the Premier League and Europe.

There is obviously room for improvement but a clinical touch, excellent decision making, speed and physical strength bodes well for the future.

The Scout rating...

Shooting: 9 out of 10
Passing: 7 out of 10
Tackling: 6 out of 10
Heading: 7 out of 10
Pace: 9 out of 10
Vision: 8 out of 10
Current ability: 7 out of 10
Potential ability: 9 out of 10

OVERALL SCOUT RATING: 62/80

Current value: £2million

Potential value: £18million

I've raved about this kid for a long time now, and would love to see him get involved with the first team squad. Stick him on the bench and bring him on for the last 15 and he will score goals. The likeness to Torres style of play is also something I noticed a long time ago.

We need to keep hold of this guy at all costs, as he could save us a fortune in the not too distant future.

There are things to be happy about when you look at the talented youngsters. If a few make it, will I strongly believe they will, then that will have saved us tens of millions. Nothing to do with Rafa though.

Insua, N'Gog.. regulars this season, and then we've had Ayala, Kelly, Ecclestone, Pacheco and Robinson all appear for the first team this season as well

To be honest I can't remember a season in a long while, in which so many young players came up from the ranks into the first team?

Only ever seen footage of Dalla Valle on LFC own channel. The kid does look like Torres with the way he plays. However let him develop and become the next best Torres before trying to stick him in the team half cooked and then him getting the stick that N'Gog, Insua and Lucas get, not to mention Babel... who lets not forget are 23 and under... and they are developing.

I like this article by Sky Sports... this section is one of their better ideas and well worth a read on all the other players they have spotlighted and I was surprised at how many I had already heard of and knew much about [perhaps I should have been a scout for Liverpool].

Seriously, I've watched our Reserves a few times and we have some useful players coming through now. I know their is a clamour for the likes of Spearing, but honestly we have better players than Jay, who I still hope can make the grade. However realistically I think Spearing has plateaued at the moment and he does need first team footy to push on. Hopefully we can loan him out to a PL team next term or even a foreign team who play in one of the bigger better leagues... But I suspect he will be one of those sold to finance any moves we make this summer.

Anyone who complains that Rafa hasn't brought anyone through (mainly those on the Echo forum) just highlights how clueless some people can be.

It takes a long time to do what Rafa's tried to do with our academy and youth set up. We will start to see the results in the next couple of years, but even then, there's a long way to go. It's a long term project that requires patience. Unfortunately, that seems to be a commodity lacking in todays game.

I've no doubt though that the overhaul will yield results and save us money in the long term. Whether Rafa gets the credit he deserves for that remains to be seen.