City v Stoke (Semi-final FA Youth cup 2nd leg)

[We're not really here]

Barker, Byrne, Bryan, Fofana, Ntcham, Lopes, Angelino, Maffeo, A Garcia, Roberts, & several others even going back to & including Devante Cole should all have had more first team minutes in the seasons before this one.

Irrespective of whether they end up 'making it' or not. That is irrelevant. It's whether they could have been used to bolster the squad & even surprise the opposition/lift the crowd & give a boost to what was, for significant periods, an unispired, flat, team & sometimes a player breaks through because of it.

All of them had periods where they were in great form & should have been promoted & given a run out. Hardly any were. The few who were used, some didn't even deserve it & were behind those lot in performance.

There is no excuse for it.

Hopefully we now have a proper manager who won't leave this lot to rot.

Devante Cole? You have to be kidding! Barker and Bryne were also very overrated. This current crop are miles better.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Devante Cole? You have to be kidding! Barker and Bryne were also very overrated. This current crop are miles better.

im not saying its wrong, but isn't that said of every younger generation. i always hear the u15/16s are the golden generation and that we have some below them who are world class aha, chances are we wont know for a few years yet. disagree on barker swell at one point he was one of the top talents.

 

[AshLunn92]

I have seen a recording of this now & I thought we were excellent.

I don't know how many will get through, but the four, Sancho, Diaz, Foden & Matt Smith, look a level above the rest imo, plus Davenport if he gets back on it.

Foden can be Silva in the future. I hope we start using them soon & keep them inspired.

Agreed. I think all four will do well in their football careers. The only problem I have with Matt smith is that I think Aleix Garcia does the same job better. If anyone takes that role in the first team it will be Aleix in my opinion.

 

[We're not really here]

im not saying its wrong, but isn't that said of every younger generation. i always hear the u15/16s are the golden generation and that we have some below them who are world class aha, chances are we wont know for a few years yet. disagree on barker swell at one point he was one of the top talents.

You are right, time will tell. Barker flattered to deceive, went missing in the very big games.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

im not saying its wrong, but isn't that said of every younger generation. i always hear the u15/16s are the golden generation and that we have some below them who are world class aha, chances are we wont know for a few years yet. disagree on barker swell at one point he was one of the top talents.

Always thought he (Brandon Barker) was a one trick pony who got involved in the game where and when he could be arsed. Sancho, Diaz and Foden track back and try and win the ball and generally get involved in the game more and are very consisted in performance levels, they`re completely different gravy. (as you youngsters say)

 

[Neville Kneville]

Devante Cole? You have to be kidding! Barker and Bryne were also very overrated. This current crop are miles better.

Whether they are, or not, is irrelevant.

We have had loads of players in the U18s/reserves, who have hit spells where they were 'on fire' & deserved the reward of promotion. Devante Cole was one, whether people now want to admit it or not. It doesn't matter whether he ends up in the Bangor Pub League, he hit a point in his career when he was playing really well WITH PACE & that lot over the road would have stuck him straight in he first team squad at that point, & brought him on. And it's 50/50 he'd score the winner for them. That's what kids do. That's why so many teams have done it, for so many years & why we should have been doing the same, as we always used to traditionally,, until we got money.

We need to get back to being a club who gives kids a chance, & quickly, or we will lose the future generations.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Always thought he (Brandon Barker) was a one trick pony who got involved in the game where and when he could be arsed. Sancho, Diaz and Foden track back and try and win the ball and generally get involved in the game more and are very consisted in performance levels, they`re completely different gravy. (as you youngsters say)

If the 'one trick' was regularly skinning players & creating/scoring goals, then you are spot on.

He deserved a shot, as did plenty of others. If he gets it & fucks it up, that's his fault. If he doesn't get it, when he's tearing up the league, which he was, it's the club/manager's fault.

If the players have faults & are expected to solve it themselves before getting any chance, there is no point having coaches. If a player has to be so good he has no significant flaws before he can have a few sub appearences for the first team, there is no point in having an academy. Hardly any, ever, will pass that test. Sane didn't. They just played him, when he was on top form & lived with it.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

If the 'one trick' was regularly skinning players & creating/scoring goals, then you are spot on.

He deserved a shot, as did plenty of others. If he gets it & fucks it up, that's his fault. If he doesn't get it, when he's tearing up the league, which he was, it's the club/manager's fault.

If the players have faults & are expected to solve it themselves before getting any chance, there is no point having coaches. If a player has to be so good he has no significant flaws before he can have a few sub appearences for the first team, there is no point in having an academy. Hardly any, ever, will pass that test. Sane didn't. They just played him, when he was on top form & lived with it.

I`ve seen enough of Barker to think he wont make it. I do agree that talent like Sancho, Diaz, Foden, Smith, and the like should be constantly tested at a higher level otherwise there`s a good chance they`ll wither on the vine.

 

[twosips]

Whether they are, or not, is irrelevant.

We have had loads of players in the U18s/reserves, who have hit spells where they were 'on fire' & deserved the reward of promotion. Devante Cole was one, whether people now want to admit it or not. It doesn't matter whether he ends up in the Bangor Pub League, he hit a point in his career when he was playing really well WITH PACE & that lot over the road would have stuck him straight in he first team squad at that point, & brought him on. And it's 50/50 he'd score the winner for them. That's what kids do. That's why so many teams have done it, for so many years & why we should have been doing the same, as we always used to traditionally,, until we got money.

We need to get back to being a club who gives kids a chance, & quickly, or we will lose the future generations.

Yep, yep. United got use out of Luke fucking Chadwick for crying out loud. They made him a decent impact pace player from the bench for a while before he inevitably drifted down to MK Dons. He even played in the Champions League. If you asked Fergie if he'd still have given him those games knowing he'd up at MK Dons he'd have still said yes, cos he was useful in that moment. That is literally the point in using academy kids. They give you a spark no 31 year old squad winger can who hasn't played a game for three months. They may end up crap, and no harm is done, but they also may end up great. They're definitely not gonna end up great if they don't get played.

 

[supercity88]

I`ve seen enough of Barker to think he wont make it. I do agree that talent like Sancho, Diaz, Foden, Smith, and the like should be constantly tested at a higher level otherwise there`s a good chance they`ll wither on the vine.

You might say that now, but you can't have had that opinion of Barker back in 2014/15 when he was constantly a threat. He'd manage to take players on the outside and get a cross in, and he also wasn't afraid to shoot and had an excellent shot on him, whether cutting inside or running around the full back and then opening his body to shoot across goal. You don't need many tricks if you can throw a step over, knock the ball past the opposing defender and run onto it.

I remember Barker being excellent when we beat Schalke 5-1. We then got them in the Youth CL knockouts and I thought we'd turn them over again. We dominated but they had one player that really impressed me throughout, he was similar to Barker in his ability to get on the ball and drive forward. At that stage I'd have put them pretty much neck and neck for talent - Barker possibly being better in my opinion (granted I'd seen Sane once). Barker then stalled, whether his own issues or the fact the club didn't give him a chance when he was in such fine form. Sane on the other hand got opportunities and then commanded a huge transfer fee and is excellent.

It's not black and white at youth level. Some young players take years to develop. Attitude, commitment, maturity, physicality all come into it. You get players like Rooney who are just ready when they're 16. That's rare. Foden, Diaz, Sancho and Smith look absolutely brilliant and need to be involved with the first team to really push on. Garcia looks class though and for me is still not getting enough game time. I see very little reason as to why he can't be a first team player, or in that first 11 when we need a DM. He is a Pep player, excellent on the ball, great range of passing and a footballing intelligence.

We need a clear out this summer. From the first team, from the EDS (and those on loan) and we need to be thinking a) who from the academy can in this moment contribute to our first team squad and; b) who from the academy could do in a year or two years or more. Our academy is working well, the top U18s are playing in the ages above to get more experience and to get used to the physicality. The main obstacles are players like Clichy, Sagna, Delph, Fernando and we need to be cut throat and get rid.

I would like to see Pep promote 4-5 academy players this summer and then buy some more experienced players to compliment them. Garcia and a new DM. Maffeo and a new RB for example. Diaz, Sancho, Foden etc might be okay with another season in the academy, at EDS level, but they should be involved in more first team squads next season to then step up. Jesus/Aguero, Sancho/Sane, Sterling/Roberts, Silva/Foden, De Bruyne/Diaz. It's a squad I'd love to see given a chance! I might be dreaming though but if one or two can make it then that's great - they just need a chance.