Brandon Barker for Navas?

[Damocles]

Barker is not playing on the left side?

It doesnt really matter which side he plays on because Milner can play left or right.

And it wouldnt be a case of dropping Navas, he's due a rest.

It all comes down to whether Barker is ready yet.

Barker plays on left or right depending on Dilrosun and Ambrose. We play a three up top and Ambrose seems to prefer the right whilst Dilrosun is a proper left winger but not a starter.

We often have Celina through the middle, Barker on the left and Ambrose on the right only to swap mid match and see Ambrose go central and Barker go out to the right.

He's not our best young talent Barker, but he's direct, he's a proper winger, he's exciting, he's a Manc from a Manc family and defenders don't know him. I'd be fucking rocking to see him on the pitch and would celebrate one of his ditzy runs and smashing it into the top corner like a Cup Final goal.

I've read back my posts in this thread (and have to give it to Mister Appointment who could have handed my arse to me for being daft but chose not to), and I understand that it comes off as quite zealoted. It's true that I'm a zealot in terms of youth development because I personally feel a more emotional connection to people who I think give a shit about City and aren't just here to make up the numbers. I honestly couldn't care if Sagna fell over and broke his leg tomorrow but Zabaleta with his faux-Manc accent or Kompany with his Manc family and kids would devastate me. I identify my club with my city as one and the same thing, having the Brandon Barkers and George Glendons of the world come through the ranks is important to me. More important to me than it is to other people, I do understand this. We all want to see one of our own do well for themselves. Whether that's a Mancunian on the pitch or some City fan making something of themselves, we're collectively proud of them.

With that said, my zealotry aside still doesn't excuse our local record. It means more to me than others because it comes back to the very core of why I personally am a City fan but this over enthusiasm doesn't diminish the point that our conveyor belt has stopped and there are little to no indications that we're willing to gamble on the Academy to help make the numbers for the first team when injuries hit - a thing that the Academy is designed to do.

 

[rapidCT]

Barker is not playing on the left side?

It doesnt really matter which side he plays on because Milner can play left or right.

And it wouldnt be a case of dropping Navas, he's due a rest.

It all comes down to whether Barker is ready yet.

Barker plays on left or right depending on Dilrosun and Ambrose. We play a three up top and Ambrose seems to prefer the right whilst Dilrosun is a proper left winger but not a starter.

We often have Celina through the middle, Barker on the left and Ambrose on the right only to swap mid match and see Ambrose go central and Barker go out to the right.

He's not our best young talent Barker, but he's direct, he's a proper winger, he's exciting, he's a Manc from a Manc family and defenders don't know him. I'd be fucking rocking to see him on the pitch and would celebrate one of his ditzy runs and smashing it into the top corner like a Cup Final goal.

I've read back my posts in this thread (and have to give it to Mister Appointment who could have handed my arse to me for being daft but chose not to), and I understand that it comes off as quite zealoted. It's true that I'm a zealot in terms of youth development because I personally feel a more emotional connection to people who I think give a shit about City and aren't just here to make up the numbers. I honestly couldn't care if Sagna fell over and broke his leg tomorrow but Zabaleta with his faux-Manc accent or Kompany with his Manc family and kids would devastate me. I identify my club with my city as one and the same thing, having the Brandon Barkers and George Glendons of the world come through the ranks is important to me. More important to me than it is to other people, I do understand this. We all want to see one of our own do well for themselves. Whether that's a Mancunian on the pitch or some City fan making something of themselves, we're collectively proud of them.

With that said, my zealotry aside still doesn't excuse our local record. It means more to me than others because it comes back to the very core of why I personally am a City fan but this over enthusiasm doesn't diminish the point that our conveyor belt has stopped and there are little to no indications that we're willing to gamble on the Academy to help make the numbers for the first team when injuries hit - a thing that the Academy is designed to do.

I understand you perfectly! I prefer my local team to play with academy players from 2nd team as well, even if it means relegation (witch it meant). As long as City can qualify for CL I would play 1-2 juniors every season. After all, we invested millions in the academy.

 

[City1974]

Hopefully at least come next season we have regularly 1 or 2 of what are now the EDS at least in the 17 on match days.

In an ideal scenario we would have a very strong group of regular 11 first team players then say 4 very good backups to cover for injury\suspensions\small scale changes\rotations etc i.e. one backup keeper, one backup defender, one backup midfielder and one backup forward and then the other 3 in a matchday 17, would be 3 from the EDS who would get some game time, again maybe one defender, one midfielder and one forward.

Maybe the 3 could be from such as Denayer or Smith Brown for defensive positions , Fofana or Evans or Barker for midfield and Ambrose or Hiwula for forward positions etc

Really we should generally be able to cope (if transfers are effective) with having no more than 18 first team players (rather than a senior first team squad of 21 or 25) and this could give some of the U21s opportunities at City.

Just a thought.

 

[lasereyes]

I can't see why we wouldn't give him a chance off the bench in a few games. You never know. Who thought that Kane or Januzaj would make the impact they did?

 

[sam-caddick]

I can't see why we wouldn't give him a chance off the bench in a few games. You never know. Who thought that Kane or Januzaj would make the impact they did?

Januzaj only really had a couple of standout games.

Kane is the big one, he could get 30 goals in all competitions this season if he carries on his first half of the season form, nobody saw that coming even at the start of this season because he wasn't first choice.

Sterling is a good example, he had a few glimpses of potential when he first broke through at 17, he wasn't a regular last season at first but broke through to becoming a regular around November/ December time and he was immense at times.

This season he has had a drop off but for me that's because he has no quality up front around him with Suarez gone and Sturridge injured.

Barker should play against Boro' and I will be immensely disappointed if he doesn't.

 

[g180aj]

Barker is not playing on the left side?

It doesnt really matter which side he plays on because Milner can play left or right.

And it wouldnt be a case of dropping Navas, he's due a rest.

It all comes down to whether Barker is ready yet.

Barker plays on left or right depending on Dilrosun and Ambrose. We play a three up top and Ambrose seems to prefer the right whilst Dilrosun is a proper left winger but not a starter.

We often have Celina through the middle, Barker on the left and Ambrose on the right only to swap mid match and see Ambrose go central and Barker go out to the right.

He's not our best young talent Barker, but he's direct, he's a proper winger, he's exciting, he's a Manc from a Manc family and defenders don't know him. I'd be fucking rocking to see him on the pitch and would celebrate one of his ditzy runs and smashing it into the top corner like a Cup Final goal.

I've read back my posts in this thread (and have to give it to Mister Appointment who could have handed my arse to me for being daft but chose not to), and I understand that it comes off as quite zealoted. It's true that I'm a zealot in terms of youth development because I personally feel a more emotional connection to people who I think give a shit about City and aren't just here to make up the numbers. I honestly couldn't care if Sagna fell over and broke his leg tomorrow but Zabaleta with his faux-Manc accent or Kompany with his Manc family and kids would devastate me. I identify my club with my city as one and the same thing, having the Brandon Barkers and George Glendons of the world come through the ranks is important to me. More important to me than it is to other people, I do understand this. We all want to see one of our own do well for themselves. Whether that's a Mancunian on the pitch or some City fan making something of themselves, we're collectively proud of them.

With that said, my zealotry aside still doesn't excuse our local record. It means more to me than others because it comes back to the very core of why I personally am a City fan but this over enthusiasm doesn't diminish the point that our conveyor belt has stopped and there are little to no indications that we're willing to gamble on the Academy to help make the numbers for the first team when injuries hit - a thing that the Academy is designed to do.

Ambrose is a number 9 and prefers to lead the line but is played out on the wing because we don't really have a right winger, which is also why ntcham plays out there some times. javario is a winger but Is very young, we forget sometimes how young are top prospects are, most of the lads being talked about still qualify for the under 18's. Barker does deserve a place in the boro squad though.

 

[grim up north]

I can't see why we wouldn't give him a chance off the bench in a few games. You never know. Who thought that Kane or Januzaj would make the impact they did?

Januzaj only really had a couple of standout games.

Kane is the big one, he could get 30 goals in all competitions this season if he carries on his first half of the season form, nobody saw that coming even at the start of this season because he wasn't first choice.

Sterling is a good example, he had a few glimpses of potential when he first broke through at 17, he wasn't a regular last season at first but broke through to becoming a regular around November/ December time and he was immense at times.

This season he has had a drop off but for me that's because he has no quality up front around him with Suarez gone and Sturridge injured.

Barker should play against Boro' and I will be immensely disappointed if he doesn't.

He might get a squad place

 

[mosssideblue]

I wouldn't start anyone yet until our "first team" learnt how to play football together again. Last thing they need now is looking after a youngster when they cannot yet sort their own shit out.

Fair dos, if we are 3 or 4 up, then introduce.

 

[mosssideblue]

All these people saying he's only 18 , Never played senior football blah blah. How old was Sterling when he made his debut against the champions. No ones saying start Barker against Chelsea just give him a chance if it's not working take him off its not like we're going to lose just because he started.

I'd start Barker , Ambrose and Angelino against Boro

And would you be happy if we went out having done that?

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

what harm could it do for the boro game.. We are playing a championship side. We can play barker and then the first team. He deserves a chance. If we can't give a player like him at least ten minutes then whats the point in the academy.

err, we could lose

If the club has that attitude then we will never play a young player. We could lose with our strongest team out. When would you play youth players then.