Academy Pathway to the First Team

[himalayan_blues]

I see your point but i also struggle to understand how playing Mahrez and Zinchenko would have benefited us more than playing Palmer and Nmecha.

These kids are good enough to start against a poor Greek outfit,nevermind come on as subs.The manager needs to start trusting them more and giving them a genuine chance to break through and become 1st team regulars.If that doesn't happen we will waste a golden opportunity as these kids can be special.

I'm not even convinced we will see them in the final two group games.

I used to think like this before but not anymore. Whoever the manager is they do not think like that. Its only us fans who thinks like that, palmer and nemecha should be playing ahead of he mentioned two. No way the squad rotation works like that.

 

[Cobra]

It will be interesting to see who features in the Marseille game. Marseille need to win the game to qualify for the Europa League so it should be a pretty competitive game. I think it will probably just be Doyle and Palmer who start with Nmecha, Harwood-Bellis and maybe even someone like McAtee on the bench. Personally I’d rather see Harwood-Bellis start instead of Garcia but that seems unlikely.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

It will be interesting to see who features in the Marseille game. Marseille need to win the game to qualify for the Europa League so it should be a pretty competitive game. I think it will probably just be Doyle and Palmer who start with Nmecha, Harwood-Bellis and maybe even someone like McAtee on the bench. Personally I’d rather see Harwood-Bellis start instead of Garcia but that seems unlikely.

I can't understand why Pep is picking Garcia ahead of T H-B. Garcia is just going through the motions till he gets his move to Barca. I'm sure Bellis would try harder than Garcia if he got a start. Must be so frustrating for the lad, and it's no wonder some of our youngsters feel the need to move on.

 

[mccity]

I do wonder where Pep stands on Harwood-Bellis. I'm not sure he rates him as highly as he does Doyle or Palmer.

 

[Cobra]

I do wonder where Pep stands on Harwood-Bellis. I'm not sure he rates him as highly as he does Doyle or Palmer.

He’s played more minutes for the first team this season than Doyle and Palmer tbf, but I guess with 5 centre backs ahead of him in the pecking order his chances are going to be limited.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

will be interesting to see who features in the Marseille game

Pep said after the match last night he only used 1 sub as he needs to get all players into the rhythm.
Doesn't look like he'll play many of the youngsters going by that.
Even though it is claimed to be all about squad rotation and flexible squad Bernardo Zinchenko Fernandinho etc. are probably not going to be 1st names on the team sheet.
They will be back for our next champions league match.
Its going to take a strong manager to invlude Palmer and Doyle on a regular basis

 

[FantasyIreland]

If he doesnt play a few of our very talented kids in a dead rubber game,in a farce of a season,then when will he ever?

Doyle,Palmer and THB would not let us down,and going off last night,might even improve on a few showings.

Sort it Pep,otherwise we are gonna lose them.

 

[domalino]

If he doesnt play a few of our very talented kids in a dead rubber game,in a farce of a season,then when will he ever?

Doyle,Palmer and THB would not let us down,and going off last night,might even improve on a few showings.

Sort it Pep,otherwise we are gonna lose them.

No FA Youth cup side has ever had so many players capped for the first team as the City one which won last month.

No one in the PL has given more minutes to youth players than City this season.

Never have we regularly played with 2 academy players in the side like we are currently.


I don't understand why you think this season is the now or never moment. These kids have contracts, they are getting chances, they can see Eric and Foden, their friends, playing for the first team and know their next chance is just around the corner every day when they turn up to train with the first team.

There has never been a more defined route into the first team than now. There has never, in the Abu Dhabi ownership, been academy players for the 2002/2003 generation to look up to in the first team like there is now.

It's really bizarre that you've chosen now to get worked up about this.

 

[FantasyIreland]

No FA Youth cup side has ever had so many players capped for the first team as the City one which won last month.

No one in the PL has given more minutes to youth players than City this season.

Never have we regularly played with 2 academy players in the side like we are currently.


I don't understand why you think this season is the now or never moment. These kids have contracts, they are getting chances, they can see Eric and Foden, their friends, playing for the first team and know their next chance is just around the corner every day when they turn up to train with the first team.

There has never been a more defined route into the first team than now. There has never, in the Abu Dhabi ownership, been academy players for the 2002/2003 generation to look up to in the first team like there is now.

It's really bizarre that you've chosen now to get worked up about this.

Because these kids are special,and they deserve an opportunity,unlike previous generations that just didn't cut the mustard.
Add that to my reasoning about a farce of a season......with injuries/recovery/no fans etc. and its very simple why now i have chosen to be vocal about it.

 

[domalino]

Because these kids are special,and they deserve an opportunity,unlike previous generations that just didn't cut the mustard.
Add that to my reasoning about a farce of a season......with injuries/recovery/no fans etc. and its very simple why now i have chosen to be vocal about it.

They are no more special than Foden, who got his chances when he earned them, and had to wait until he was good enough.

It might be a farce of a season to you, but to Pep and everyone else at the club it's a very real, very serious season that they want to do well in and pick up trophies, not write it off as a season when we didn't do well but the youth got more chances than usual.

Pep has much bigger fish to fry. He's got to get players back fit after injury layoffs, he's got 2 or 3 badly out of form players he needs to play into form, he's got a CL group he has to finish top in, and an attack that needs to create more without David Silva.