Depressing

[Centurions]

Agree. I sighed given the sight of Clichy at RB, but i understood it. I'd not have brought Celina on over Navas either, or Adarabioyo at any point unless totally necessary.

Clichy is naturally right sided is he not? I'm sure I remember from somewhere that his dad got him playing left sided because there was more chance of making it as a kid due to less competition.

And he does have slightly more experience... 70 European games.

 

[Phil1]

Clichy is naturally right sided is he not? I'm sure I remember from somewhere that his dad got him playing left sided because there was more chance of making it as a kid due to less competition.

And he does have slightly more experience... 70 European games.

Yeah but Clichy was abysmal in the first half regardless of experience and being natuarally right footed. The first goal was down to him being turned on the half way line in a fashion that would be embarrasing had my 9 year old allowed to happen. His positioning put us under loads of pressure whenever the ball went right. Luckily we sorted ourselves come the second half.

 

[MC ID]

While I don't blame Pellers for that match, over his time here he was proven he is a utter coward and there is going to be no progression of these academy players whilst he's in charge. Hopefully we can get most of them out on loan so we don't completely stall their development.

 

[lancs blue]

Clichy also has played some RB for us in preseason and a couple of times last year. Not justifying the decision, but we went on to win the group thanks to the result so I'm not going to be overly dramatic at the fact we didn't start the youngster Maffeo in a huge European game.

Clichy also played a number of times at RB when he was at Arsenal so he's hardly a novice in that position. Defensively though he was dreadful in the first half.

I agree with other posters that last night wasn't the right circumstances to blood Maffeo, if we'd beaten Juve and clinched top spot already that would have been an ideal opportunity to give a couple of youngsters a start.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Clichy also has played some RB for us in preseason and a couple of times last year. Not justifying the decision, but we went on to win the group thanks to the result so I'm not going to be overly dramatic at the fact we didn't start the youngster Maffeo in a huge European game.

I think Gael Clichy started off his pro career as RB. He can be as effective on the right as he can on the left.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Daft thread given we have just had our best ever finish to a CL group.
There is a time and a place for promoting kids and that is generally the league cup and Prem games when we are comfortably ahead and then if they shine and we need them you start to play them when it really counts.
We have done it to a limited extent, it’s easy to forget Nacho is just starting out and we have had a few other run outs here and there.
I was calling for Maffeo to get some minutes earlier in the season on the basis we might be forced to use him as some point. He should have started a League cup game IMO. Last night was not the time.

 

[WNRH]

For all those saying "it wasn't the right game" or "it wasn't the right time"

When is the right game and time?

It's amazing what confidence does to a young player, would Klopp have played a second choice left back at right back in front of the #1 reserve right back? No, he wouldn't and he hasn't as proven when he played Connor Randall when he had no right back and the young lad didn't look out of place at all.

What message is it sending out to the youngsters at the club?

Darmien got injured last night for Utd, if Pellegrini was in charge of them he would have brought on Ashley Young instead of Borthwick-Jackson as Van Gaal did (don't try and say they got beat and they are out, that's not because of that sub)

Fans need to stop being brainwashed that "experience is key" if that was the case then the young lad who won the game for us last night would never have got a sniff and would be playing Championship football now if Liverpool opted for proven premier league experience in Aaron Lennon or some overpriced foreigner.

Play Maffeo and if he struggles and is affecting the team then bring Sagna on, I know it's a crazy thought but these youngsters might just be competent to do a job for the odd game!!' They don't have to be listed in the top 25 U21 players in the world to have the slightest sniff of playing time.

Instead we continue to play our main stars in 4th priority competitions and then wonder why we never have them available for the 1st and 2nd comps.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

We should have one youngster on the bench EVERY game and if we're 'safe' bring them on.

The MDM sub v Hull was criminal, on a par with Sinclair over Ambrose last season.

 

[City_Sean]

How depressing was it to see our right back rested and instead of playing Maffeo we play a second choice left back.

Meanwhile Mochengladbach played someone of a similar age and didn't look out of place.

Amazing what confidence and belief does to a player.

I cannot wait for Pep.

Considering we won the game, I think Pellegrini is right to feel that his decision to start Gael Clichy over Pablo Maffeo has been vindicated.

 

[billymumphrey]

For all those saying "it wasn't the right game" or "it wasn't the right time"

When is the right game and time?

It's amazing what confidence does to a young player, would Klopp have played a second choice left back at right back in front of the #1 reserve right back? No, he wouldn't and he hasn't as proven when he played Connor Randall when he had no right back and the young lad didn't look out of place at all.

What message is it sending out to the youngsters at the club?

Darmien got injured last night for Utd, if Pellegrini was in charge of them he would have brought on Ashley Young instead of Borthwick-Jackson as Van Gaal did (don't try and say they got beat and they are out, that's not because of that sub)

Fans need to stop being brainwashed that "experience is key" if that was the case then the young lad who won the game for us last night would never have got a sniff and would be playing Championship football now if Liverpool opted for proven premier league experience in Aaron Lennon or some overpriced foreigner.

Play Maffeo and if he struggles and is affecting the team then bring Sagna on, I know it's a crazy thought but these youngsters might just be competent to do a job for the odd game!!' They don't have to be listed in the top 25 U21 players in the world to have the slightest sniff of playing time.

Instead we continue to play our main stars in 4th priority competitions and then wonder why we never have them available for the 1st and 2nd comps.

Maybe Pellers played Clichy so that he could get some minutes/form into his legs so that he can use him to rotate with Kolarov who has played almost every single game for us? Does that not seem like a plausible option?