87 | James McAtee - 2024/25

[Mike N]

Pep will have been watching him every day on training and he clearly has not impressed enough.

As said above, with our slow midfield and lack of creativity, this should have been perfect for him to show the best coach in the world that he’s worth a start.

Got to be down to the player.

 

[sir baconface]

Seems the more a youngster is praised, the less he is played.

 

[decmancity]

I agree, lots of these players did need loan moves and regular game time. Now they’ve got that it’s clear they are good enough for city, they just needed a chance. I think they were probably always talented enough

I’m not sure I agree with your point about pep playing them if they make it impossible to ignore. Other than foden it’s seemingly impossible for our academy players to become regular first team players. Lewis is on the way, but I reckon if walker was fit, he’d be playing less ( just my view).

I’d argue some of our ex academy players are better than what we currently have. Lavia for example would be brilliant in the middle. I’d take palmer over Doku as well. It’s all ifs and buts rights now.

I do think Mcatee deserves a chance, considering how poor our midfield has been

They definitely had the talent or they would have never been anywhere near the CFG but getting chances in our team in the past decade is a hell of a lot harder than a loan move to Hull.

Lavia is talented, he gets in the team whilst we are in our current spell of injuries but he would have never stuck around this long to wait for that.

 

[BedsBlue68]

They definitely had the talent or they would have never been anywhere near the CFG but getting chances in our team in the past decade is a hell of a lot harder than a loan move to Hull.

Lavia is talented, he gets in the team whilst we are in our current spell of injuries but he would have never stuck around this long to wait for that.

I Agree - wrt Lavia i think had Southampton not got relegated before our buy-back clause kicked in then he would have been back with us. As it was no way were we going to match Chelsea's valuation (which i think from memory was £20m more than our buy-back clause which came into place the following season)

In addition people like Rogers, would we have him back now? I dont think so - really pleased to see him doing well at Villa but still dont think he would be close to our team if we came back tomorrow.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Seems the more a youngster is praised, the less he is played.

Or maybe underplayed despite his apparent abilities in the eyes of posters ?

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

I have to be honest and say that I am disappointed that he hasn't been given an opportunity in the team, despite having received positive comments from Pep.

And I know that Pep sees him on the training ground, but that is the same for others who do get the opportunity despite not always looking like good fits.

imo of course

 

[decmancity]

I have to be honest and say that I am disappointed that he hasn't been given an opportunity in the team, despite having received positive comments from Pep.

And I know that Pep sees him on the training ground, but that is the same for others who do get the opportunity despite not always looking like good fits.

imo of course

In our current run of form and luck with injuries more than ever, Pep goes to the trusted names and his soldiers on the front line e.g. Gundogan.
He's always been a bit risk averse with youngsters, his track record speaks for itself with those that have come through under him and kicked on with long careers however so we do have to trust to a certain extent.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

In our current run of form and luck with injuries more than ever, Pep goes to the trusted names and his soldiers on the front line e.g. Gundogan.
He's always been a bit risk averse with youngsters, his track record speaks for itself with those that have come through under him and kicked on with long careers however so we do have to trust to a certain extent.

If Pep ran a kindergarten, he'd only accept kids over the age of 25.

Definitely a case of "old dog for the hard road, pup for the path"

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

In our current run of form and luck with injuries more than ever, Pep goes to the trusted names and his soldiers on the front line e.g. Gundogan.
He's always been a bit risk averse with youngsters, his track record speaks for itself with those that have come through under him and kicked on with long careers however so we do have to trust to a certain extent.

Of course Pep totally deserves full praise for his judgement and achievements, and there may be a perfectly good reason why McAtee hasn't been picked.

It may be that Pep was giving him a confidence boost ( if needed ) or equally he may think that he isn't good enough in the longer term and was boosting his potential sale fee ?

He obviously is a talented player, and being made captain for England U21's suggests that he has some solid attributes, and I hope that rather than just being sold without being given a chance in our team, that he gets a decent opportunity.

 

[dhruvblue]

Pep will have been watching him every day on training and he clearly has not impressed enough

Watched Palmer in training too who didn't get minutes and is doing alright for himself at Chelsea. Lavia too eventually will do well when he gets going. Sometimes putting people on pitch is important than testing in trainings