Mad Eyed Screamer
Moderator
I think for a number of reasons it is time to bring back the reserves in the form of the Central League (north / midlands) and Football Combination (south) and do away with the EDS system.
Players who are injured long term currently do not get any game time before being thrust back into 1st team. Look at Augero the other week. Out for how many weeks and then injured again 2 / 3 games later.
With the reserves you would get half a game and the following week 70 mins and then make the bench (minimum) when there was only one sub then.
The reserves should be half youth team players and half experienced players. Zinchenko for example hardly kicked a ball first 6 weeks of the season, how is he supposed to get match for? No wonder some players are getting injuries as they are not playing regularly.
City's reserve keeper needs to be playing more than just League Cup games.
The spin off from that is the young players will be playing with and against seasoned pro's and will learn so much more and gain so much more than simply playing against their own age group week in / week out.
The last time City won the Central League was 1987 when half the team that won the FA Youth Cup the season before that were playing alongside 1st teamers such as Gordon Davies, Andy May, Paul Simpson and Tony Grealish.
The following season 7 of the Youth Team members were in the 1st team. I know times have changed but feel that it has gone too far the other way and the EDS prevents young players from progressing more than it develops them.
Of course the question is when would these games be played? I would suggest immediately after the 1st team game (if not a Saturday or Sunday late kick off) and maybe before the 1st team if a late kick off.
Midweek games can be Tuesday if 1st team play Wednesday or the other way around. Yes be difficult if a European away game but reserve games don't have to be scheduled that week.
Subs can be 5 a game so (again as an example) Zinchenko can play 45 mins on a Tuesday and be on the bench on a Wednesday.
I am sure there are flaws in the plan (and am sure they will be picked at lol) so what do you think?
Players who are injured long term currently do not get any game time before being thrust back into 1st team. Look at Augero the other week. Out for how many weeks and then injured again 2 / 3 games later.
With the reserves you would get half a game and the following week 70 mins and then make the bench (minimum) when there was only one sub then.
The reserves should be half youth team players and half experienced players. Zinchenko for example hardly kicked a ball first 6 weeks of the season, how is he supposed to get match for? No wonder some players are getting injuries as they are not playing regularly.
City's reserve keeper needs to be playing more than just League Cup games.
The spin off from that is the young players will be playing with and against seasoned pro's and will learn so much more and gain so much more than simply playing against their own age group week in / week out.
The last time City won the Central League was 1987 when half the team that won the FA Youth Cup the season before that were playing alongside 1st teamers such as Gordon Davies, Andy May, Paul Simpson and Tony Grealish.
The following season 7 of the Youth Team members were in the 1st team. I know times have changed but feel that it has gone too far the other way and the EDS prevents young players from progressing more than it develops them.
Of course the question is when would these games be played? I would suggest immediately after the 1st team game (if not a Saturday or Sunday late kick off) and maybe before the 1st team if a late kick off.
Midweek games can be Tuesday if 1st team play Wednesday or the other way around. Yes be difficult if a European away game but reserve games don't have to be scheduled that week.
Subs can be 5 a game so (again as an example) Zinchenko can play 45 mins on a Tuesday and be on the bench on a Wednesday.
I am sure there are flaws in the plan (and am sure they will be picked at lol) so what do you think?