I don't really care about the lad's emotions. I mean specifically in terms of his elite development as a player that will hopefully be playing for City one day by learning systems and patterns of play. You're not learning anything being chucked in at the deep end, and you are learning bad habits that we are deliberately trying to train out of Delap.It’s absolutely negative to say a player may have his ”development” harmed by being asked to go in with 15-20 mins to go and to try to get on the end of something!
There is absolutely NOTHING negative to be taken by a 19 year old who is asked to do that! In fact, the absolute reverse would be true, and as a young lad who was asked to do that at a big club (and not even in a big PL game!), I can tell you it made me feel like THEY HAD GREAT CONFIDENCE IN ME!
There was literally no downside to putting on Delap, other than if he missed an absolute sitter to win the game, or tie it! But, as such a great coach, I’m sure Pep would have protected him and let him know he trusted him or he wouldn’t have put him in the field!
Well I remember the exact same things being said about Foden and I'd say the club have got stuff spot on with his development.Theres so few actually making the breakthrough that there's a fair chance Pep could do better as regards the youngsters.
I doubt they're all not ready.
If they aren't given a chance we'll never know.
For me this is exactly the situation you'd find out what they'd got instead of a half paced cup game against lower league competition.
So why not chuck on a couple of kids against Sporting when we were four up? Or bring more on against Leeds when we were well ahead?I couldn't think of anything worse for a young player's development than chucking them on a game that you are chasing with 20 minutes to go and asking them to make a difference.
Because we are hitting the run in, have a delicate balance core of 16 or 17 senior pros that joined us to play on CL nights, need to keep their match fitness, and wouldn't be very happy having kids chucked on in their place, and that it wouldn't chime with the message that we still have a professional job to do in the return tie.So why not chuck on a couple of kids against Sporting when we were four up? Or bring more on against Leeds when we were well ahead?
When's that going to beIt will take until our next win to get over that shit show.
The next game we play so let's slow down on the whole "we're doomed' talk because its a terrible look.When's that going to be
You stupid bastard, just drying up the gin and tonic off my keyboard ;-)I'm feeling a little better about Saturday - the Dipper fan on The Chase has been caught! Good on yer, SinhaMan!