The one thing our academy can't seem to produce is a decent haircutNeeds to find a decent barber
The one thing our academy can't seem to produce is a decent haircutNeeds to find a decent barber
The one thing our academy can't seem to produce is a decent haircut
We need some tall players!
Yeah me too, i thought he played well on Saturday. His movement, ball control and positional play was great for the most part.I have been impressed by him but it would be a massive call to play him as a Rodri replacement with his current level of experience. The good thing about that position though is that valuable experience can be gained whilst seeing out matches whereas wide players and attacking midfielders gain less by just seeing out games in which we have a comfortable lead.
Is it just City that seem to be reluctant to give younger players a chance?Yeah me too, i thought he played well on Saturday. His movement, ball control and positional play was great for the most part.
I can't see him playing much in the league this season, but he'll get chances in cup games and if we get dead rubbers in the CL.
His (and all the youngsters) main focus this season is to learn. Training and being in the squad everyday and on matchdays will be invaluable experience.
I agree with the premise, but it's a balancing act when dealing with youngsters at our level, where a couple of losses could be the difference in winning the league (or cup) or not and then you don't want that situation to affect the lads confidence.Is it just City that seem to be reluctant to give younger players a chance?
Apart from Rodri the PO the Euros was the Spanish 16 year old.
Perhaps times are changing and the Cole P experience has changed our thinking but surely if they are good enough they are old enough.
Spain as a country team play similar to City. Young talent is given a chance so do you think Pep would promote a 15 or 16 year old to the PL team if one appeared?I agree with the premise, but it's a balancing act when dealing with youngsters at our level, where a couple of losses could be the difference in winning the league (or cup) or not and then you don't want that situation to affect the lads confidence.
Pep knows this and will be careful with him and introduce him slowly.
It's a big leap in terms of standard but, as seen with Oscar, the lad will have to trust the process, be patient and be ready to take his chances when called upon.
The Palmer comparison is a bit different in that he was playing in a team that didn't look like it had any real style of play and seemed to be trying anything to see if it worked.
I like Palmer and think he's a great talent, but there's no way he would've been given the licence to play like that with us, because our style and structure of our play is/was so different.
Spain as a country team play similar to City. Young talent is given a chance so do you think Pep would promote a 15 or 16 year old to the PL team if one appeared?
He did exactly that to Messi.. but then again he knew Messi from being his manager of the B team!
So the answer to your question is Yes undoubtedly but with caveats.
More Busquets than Rodri and I love it! He would give us something different
He's a midfielder albeit much more attacking than defensive.But he is a striker
I think decent chance Rico becomes a semi regular 1st teamer this yearPep did not know Messi from the B team, he stopped playing for them 3 years before pep arrived and had nearly 100 first team appearances. He scored 17 in 35 games the season before pep arrived!
Foden is actually the only real example of Pep really pushing a teenager into the first team since Thiago.
It was Rijkaard that gave Messi his break but that's something you don't always hear aboutPep did not know Messi from the B team, he stopped playing for them 3 years before pep arrived and had nearly 100 first team appearances. He scored 17 in 35 games the season before pep arrived!
Foden is actually the only real example of Pep really pushing a teenager into the first team since Thiago.
Future Rodri?
So is it possible that academy talent is at last good enough for Pep rather than seeming to prefer talent that other PL teams have proven to be OK at that level.?He did exactly that to Messi.. but then again he knew Messi from being his manager of the B team!
So the answer to your question is Yes undoubtedly but with caveats.