Pablo Maffeo - 2016/2017 Performances

[steviemc]

He was excellent tonight. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't get the nod on Saturday. Deserves to be in on merit.

I agree entirely. He's proved he can comfortably handle a big occasion. Hopefullly that'll be recognised.

 

[Dax777]

Same age as Sané, but because he's from the academy and not bought for shit loads of money he doesn't start games other than the league cup. Joke really. Better than Zab by a mile, and arguably better than Sagna too.

Sane doesn't start much either, so I don't get your point.

 

[bluemike]

Has to start on Saturday. Great performance.

 

[Tom H Conwy exile]

I thought he was excellent, he reads the game really well which is something you either have or you don't, it's a natural thing. He knows when to go, when to stay and times his tackles well. In my humble opinion he's ready for the first team. He wasn't ruffled by the salford massive, get him in he'll only get better. He's too good to go backwards

 

[cibaman]

Delighted for him tonight. This was the Maffeo that a fair few of us had watched excel for our u18s and EDS. A proper warrior, an excellent instinctive defender and typically Spanish with the ball. Very intelligent too positionally. He was, in my humble opinion, as good as Kelechi, if not better, in his respective role when they were regulars in the 18s and EDS together the season before last. He was the standout for me a couple of years ago when Vieira actually used him as a CB all season for the EDS, despite being 17 and only 5'7. He was always getting the best of big, tall strikers with his reading of the game and always coolly strolling into midfield and so on. Naturally Kelechi took the headlines as a striker.

As a RB he has an absolutely huge future. Mentally he's exceptional. It's his attitude that is most encouraging - he leads in the way Zaba does, giving his all in every game, and he's a shining example of why its worth giving our kids ago and trusting in their abilities. Yes, he was nervous on his full City debut agains Steaua, yet that's proof why we need to be patient. He's a kid, of course he'd be nervous stepping out at the Etihad for the first team. Any of us would! Now he's trained with the first team all season and got his debut out of the way the nerves have gone and he's settling in and showing what he's capable of. A few people genuinely don't think its possible in the modern era to integrate kids into big teams these days. That's absolutely tosh that we've grown to accept given the nonsense that Pellegrini and Mancini and other cowardly top level managers like Mourinho feed us. It can happen - it just takes faith, boldness and patience.

Pep, thankfully, knows that. Garcia, Adarabioyo, Gunn, Maffeo, Angelino - all these are clearly lined up to be slowly integrated (potentially) at least into the first team squad this season and they totally deserve it. Best thing is, they're the tip of the iceberg. We sometimes don't realise how much talent we're sat on as a fanbase. Performances like Maffeo's aren't unexpected. He is THAT good potentially - he, along with this teammates, proved it by getting to the FA Youth Cup final and being part of the Premier League International Cup side that won the tournament. I'm glad we've all seen what our kids can be capable of tonight. As a general rule of thumb, if you've got a team that reaches the FA Youth Cup Final, or wins the u18s title, then these kids, a fair chunk of them at least, have done enough to deserve a debut and a good look at least cos they've proven themselves to be some of the best in the country at their age. That was what Maffeo, Adarabioyo, Angelino, Kelechi etc did. They should get their chance, and they will hopefully. It's also what Chelsea should do given how crazily successful their academy teams have been domestically and in the UEFA Youth League. It's absolutely madness that it doesnt happen though. We've got it so, so wrong in this country- hopefully Pep knows this and we'll see a change.

Honestly think Maffeo may have helped changed the perception of youth integration for a fair few people tonight and i love that.

How fit is he? He looked absolutely exhausted towards the end of the game. Would it be asking too much to expect him to play again on Saturday?

 

[SWP's back]

Best player on the park by a mile tonight

Agreed. I thought he was excellent last night. Had Rashford beaten for pace and in his pocket most of the night.

 

[SWP's back]

He can be proud on his performance tonight. As for being a regular starter he needs to develope more.

Not sure what he has to develop? His performance last night was better than anything I've seen from Zabba this season.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Keep the momentum going,play him again Saturday - this is the only way to develop our own 'bellerin's'.

 

[bobom]

How fit is he? He looked absolutely exhausted towards the end of the game. Would it be asking too much to expect him to play again on Saturday?

Yes, I wondered that.

 

[Tevez City]

He can be proud on his performance tonight. As for being a regular starter he needs to develope more.

Ok right now he is not better than Dani Alves, but he is already better than Zabaleta.