We haven't played false 9 for 3 years mate, the squads changed and the tactics have changed since then, we've spent the last 2 windows signing a load of wingers to supply the strikers, we aren't setting ourselves up whereby we are forced to abandon that plan if 1 player is unavailabe. We also don't have the players to play a false 9 effectively anymore.
Nobodies growth is stunted when bringing in a new signing, the youth don't get given a free ride into the first team, they have to earn it and rightly so. part of that process is proving you're better than those infront of you, if they cannot do that, they won't get or deserve to play.
Rico Lewis wasn't handed anything when he pushed himself in ahead of cancelo who at the time was widely regarded as the best fullback in the world. Anybody good enough will always push their way in, we're not going to lower our standards just to give academy players an easier time, nor should we.
