One of the biggest mistakes me made was letting so many of our youth players go. Imagine how many of them would be useful right now.
But if we don't let the first player in the chain go then the second player doesn't even enter the radar, similarly the third, then the fourth. A never ending sequence. Letting each player go makes us money and creates space for the next. There is only room for so many players and only so much time for them to develop. It's not rocket science.One of the biggest mistakes me made was letting so many of our youth players go. Imagine how many of them would be useful right now.
Spot on - plus they have to want to stay and wait for their chance(s), Palmer is a good example, I think it would have been a long time before he was considered the main man like he is at Chelsea.Hindsight is your friend.
Fitting them into the squad at the appropriate time is the difficult bit, especially if Pep only wants to work with small numbers.
Better to let them go and get playing time and develop. If the club think it worthwhile they put clauses into the transactions.
Can't keep them all ..........................just in case
Spot on - plus they have to want to stay and wait for their chance(s), Palmer is a good example, I think it would have been a long time before he was considered the main man like he is at Chelsea.
Still think Nicolo Barella would be a great addition, he's signed a contract extension to 2029 so might be very difficult to get him though
There's only one Italian with a Premier league winners medal.m never convinced Italian players will make it in England. Particularly ones who have been in Italy for so long. The best Italian players in the PL era have been Zola, Vialli, Ravenelli, Jorginho and Di Matteo
Palmer played total of 358 mins in the premier league in 22/23, that is less than what Doku has played in PL this season so far. Rico currently younger than what Palmer was in 22/23 and Rico has already played this season more than double the mins Palmer played.He'd played a fair bit the season before and been quite underwhelming. Flashes of what he could do but nothing more. His mind had been made up by the next season and we then saw him score in the community shield and Super Cup and got a glimpse of what he could do.
Delap and Harwood bellis have buy backsHe'd played a fair bit the season before and been quite underwhelming. Flashes of what he could do but nothing more. His mind had been made up by the next season and we then saw him score in the community shield and Super Cup and got a glimpse of what he could do. I'm not sure he'd have been the player he is had he stayed. There's a real focus on discipline and ball retention at City. It's generally only De Bruyne who has been given the freedom to play a more expansive game, and even then he'll clash with Pep at times. Chelsea had nothing creative without Palmer so he can go and blaze four shots over the bar in pursuit of making something happen. We don't stand for that at our level.
Delap, Lavia, Harwood-Bellis, Palmer all could have been useful this season. But that's only when we have injuries or need to rotate and without the number of injuries we'd barely have used them anyway. Look at McAtee - Pep praised him this summer and yet he's been sat on the bench despite clear issues with creativity.
Balotelli did OK for us but I suppose he's a bit of a one-off and not a typical Italian !I'm never convinced Italian players will make it in England. Particularly ones who have been in Italy for so long. The best Italian players in the PL era have been Zola, Vialli, Ravenelli, Jorginho and Di Matteo. Other than that we've seen the odd season or the odd glimpse but nothing more. Di Canio was excellent but never got a cap for Italy. Only Vialli was a consistent part of the Italian side during that period. Ravenelli was on the way down when he moved to Boro. The whole style and culture of their football is so different. Combine that with a lifestyle - particularly in Milan where it's top level shopping and dining and he ain't going to be too happy in Manchester! That's probably why Chelsea's suited the few that have bothered coming over and making something of themselves.