Taylor Harwood-Bellis | On loan at Southampton

[blueballs84]

Foden and Harwood-Bellis are 2 local lads that have the potential to play at the top level for a long time. Not just academy products but locals.
The club should be all over them. Especially when our only fit specialist CB is Otamendi.

 

[manlikepep]

Imo Garcia or bellis should now be given the chance to break into the first team properly and make them a house hold name. Never a better time and otamendi is bang out of form

 

[MeatHunterrr]

Foden and Harwood-Bellis are 2 local lads that have the potential to play at the top level for a long time. Not just academy products but locals.
The club should be all over them. Especially when our only fit specialist CB is Otamendi.

They should, but won't. They are absolutely petrified with fear and constantly look for excuses not to play academy players.

Chelsea used to be the same until their hand got forced.

 

[moomba]

They should, but won't. They are absolutely petrified with fear and constantly look for excuses not to play academy players.

By and large these senior players have led us to the best two year period any club has ever had.

Surely that's a better reason to give them opportunities rather than fear.

Chelsea used to be the same until their hand got forced.

And are a mile away from a title winning team.

 

[moomba]

Having said that I think we''ve got to integrate one of the kids, probably Garcia into the league team.

Otamendi is well out of form and we can't rely on him and Dinho week in week out.

 

[Josh_D]

They should, but won't. They are absolutely petrified with fear and constantly look for excuses not to play academy players.

Chelsea used to be the same until their hand got forced.

I’m sure a lot were hoping that the UEFA/FIFA circus wouldn’t lead to a ban of any sort but do you think now that, maybe something like that is needed?

Even if that was the case, Gundy, Otamendi, etc would still get game time even if those players were off form. How I feel about it.

Nonetheless, I trust the manager to make the decision when he’s absolutely certain about it. He did good by the La Masia academy products who went on to become very good footballers.

 

[decmancity]

They should, but won't. They are absolutely petrified with fear and constantly look for excuses not to play academy players.

Chelsea used to be the same until their hand got forced.

Rubbish.

It is not fear, we have a senior squad of players ahead of both of Foden and THB. Chelsea don't.

Chelseas youth players wiped the floor with most of the country in the past few years, look at who their lads are competing against too see why they are in the team. Lampard was also always going to back the youngsters. He has no pressure on him this year, a pretty crap squad and a transfer ban. All the perfect storm to blood youngsters.

We are competing for 4 trophies this year, not just looking to get in the Top4.

 

[mosssideblue]

Yep, the club has no balls whatsoever when it comes to the academy.

The problem I see with this is that you and others are basing a youngster being ready now based on very little playing time whereas the club see a much bigger picture and simply might be thinking they are not quite ready yet, but are moving in the right direction.

I would also suggest a seasoned pro having a mare is more likely to shrug it off and get back to form over a youngster who might take a long time to shake such events off

 

[...]

Rubbish.

It is not fear, we have a senior squad of players ahead of both of Foden and THB. Chelsea don't.

Chelseas youth players wiped the floor with most of the country in the past few years, look at who their lads are competing against too see why they are in the team. Lampard was also always going to back the youngsters. He has no pressure on him this year, a pretty crap squad and a transfer ban. All the perfect storm to blood youngsters.

We are competing for 4 trophies this year, not just looking to get in the Top4.

Ahead of Foden and TBH because of experience and price tag, yes....but in terms of mobility and merit, absolutely not. Otamendi and Gundogan have been shit often, and playing Silva in every game despite his legs clearly going is moronic management.

Harwood-Bellis is special - he makes De Ligt look like Phil Jones when it comes to defensive awareness, and is physically up to men’s football. He’s ready to play and could comfortably be relied upon.

Nobody is saying make him captain and build the defence around him already, but in a time of crisis, when the only fit senior defender is throwing goals away every few games, it’d be no downgrade to accommodate him in Laporte’s absence.

Winning trophies and integrating youth aren’t mutually exclusive, regardless of what Pep is saying; there’s enough senior talent in the squad to guide Foden, Garcia and THB through games - he simply doesn’t want to.

If he’s not going to feature once Stones and Laporte are fit, the inevitable signing arrives plus there’s Otamendi, Fernandinho and Garcia ahead of him, I’d send him to Anderlecht to work closely Kompany for 6 months.

 

[mosssideblue]

Ahead of Foden and TBH because of experience and price tag, yes....but in terms of mobility and merit, absolutely not. Otamendi and Gundogan have been shit often, and playing Silva in every game despite his legs clearly going is moronic management.

Harwood-Bellis is special - he makes De Ligt look like Phil Jones when it comes to defensive awareness, and is physically up to men’s football. He’s ready to play and could comfortably be relied upon.

Nobody is saying make him captain and build the defence around him already, but in a time of crisis, when the only fit senior defender is throwing goals away every few games, it’d be no downgrade to accommodate him in Laporte’s absence.

Winning trophies and integrating youth aren’t mutually exclusive, regardless of what Pep is saying; there’s enough senior talent in the squad to guide Foden, Garcia and THB through games - he simply doesn’t want to.

If he’s not going to feature once Stones and Laporte are fit, the inevitable signing arrives plus there’s Otamendi, Fernandinho and Garcia ahead of him, I’d send him to Anderlecht to work closely Kompany for 6 months.

Can you further expand as I am intrigued as to how you have made such a bold statement -what are you basing this on exactly?

Not a dig, but simply curious as to how you know so much