Earlier in the week when it looked like we were going to buy Mahrez I was quite annoyed. Excellent player but we don't need to stockpile players simply because we can. We have two fantastic talents waiting for their chance and they need a pathway.
To go on about squad depth now, this is the ideal time to blood youngsters.
- We are 13 points clear. If we can't do it now with the title almost in our grasp when will we? We can lose 4 out of the last 12 and still be Champions. There is margin for error and frankly a kid will not be the culprit for a collapse. People need to get over this fear about kids making mistakes. It's fucking football, not the marines.
- We will likely win the league with games to spare. In the remaining games Foden, Diaz and Tosin should start games. They're the three who have been on the bench enough times.
- We'll have our best available team for the League Cup Final but the CL and FA Cup is still some way away. For that reason I expect the manager to prioritise knockout games, which should allow for rotation in the league games.
- If Diaz or Foden prove their worth in the remaining games maybe just maybe we can keep our money in our pockets this summer. Academy players save you millions if you give them a platform to prove themselves.
This is high time for Pep to live up to his pro-youth pedestal. I love his playing style, I love how he has reduced our average age significantly and how he has shoved it up the arse of those who say he will be found out. Nonetheless one of the most exciting things I looked for when he came was the integration of our youngsters. I will be very disappointed if we don't have at least one academy player playing prominently in the first team next year. It's all well and good buying the best prospects from abroad but those who watch our boys will know we have some fine talents waiting in the wings.