Little surprised Warrington didn't make the bench yesterday.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Been so much extra chatter lately about the kids, Brands watching them, pathways to the first team. Bit strange though as I don’t feel we have a manager or fan base that will ever be in a position to give them proper minutes.
....it’s nothing to do with the fan base, the manager has to like what he sees and feel he has a player he can utilise. Points are so vital that youngsters have to earn the minutes. I‘m not a fan of the phrase ‘pass way to the first team’ because ultimately they will force their way into contention if they perform.
When they have the opportunity they need to take it & that includes impressing when training with the first team.
Ring master
Player Valuation: £90m
If the manager fancied them, played them, and the results understandably weren't there the fans would be on the teams back. Fans most certainly have a say. People here are desperate for trophies and any hint of a "transitional period" would cause a riot.
mightymoyes
Player Valuation: £70m
in our last 8 games broadhead should be getting opportunity ahead of iwobi, neither look to have a future with the club but we already know iwobi offers nothing.
....it’s an interesting point; a 23 year old academy player who has failed to make a breakthrough and been out on loan game time ahead of an asset that costs £80 per week to maintain.
They also seem different types of player, so it might not quite be a question of either or.
BornBlue76
Player Valuation: £35m
fixed
Well possibly that too but he'll have his own priorities.
BornBlue76
Player Valuation: £35m
Can't agree that its merit based ... throughout the last few years (also preceding Carlo) we have seen poor performing pro's get run out week after week while a high potential youth sits watching dross.. Bernard v Lookman was one. Gordon v Iwobi is current as is Nkounkou having to see 4 CBs each week... Now they may not be ready to play as a starter but those minutes are vital in their development. Very few just walk in ready cooked. .and I know you feel about loans the same I do.
Our youth largely get shots with an injury.. Holgate I remember being one.. even that has dried up.
BornBlue76
Player Valuation: £35m
Unfortunately thats true.. The manager churn forces them to think and act short term imo... Oddly I always felt Moyes would be a better DOF.. looking after scouting and youth development... The DOF should be doing this and avoiding the manager inconsistencies... but when your manager has so much influence its a tough balance... the manager chooses the side so that puts a break on any best intentions I suppose. rambling now..
...I don’t disagree, there can be a certain degree of luck involved in getting an opportunity. As you say, there is a reluctance to play unproven over a high earner, but saying that the very good ones will get an opportunity and when they do they have to take it.
Gordon got game time because he was seen as a real prospect.
I don’t believe Broadhead is a PL starter , but 5 mins last night wasn’t really enough for him to make an impression. When Iwobi cut inside and hit the ball way over the bar Broadhead made the same run into the penalty box that he did when he scored against Blackburn U23. A different level of opposition of course but if Iwobi had passed to him I’d have put money on Broadhead at least getting a shot away on target, which is more than anybody else did last night.
While it’s hard to disagree with your first sentence, I could couch it another way .... a 23 year old currently in a rich vein of scoring form fails to get a decent amount of time on the pitch when our attack force was virtually non existent. I’m not saying “ youngsters must play because because” just that I failed to see anything better than Broadhead last night in the last 20 mins , coming on then would have been ideal for him.
....I actually thought Broadhead could’ve been introduced sooner but don’t think it was necessarily a case of him or Iwobi.
Ancelotti spoke post-match about the teams failure to transition from defence to attack, I imagine that’s why Iwobi was introduced. You’ll have seen more of Broadhead than me but I see him as a player with the quality to make a difference in the top third. As you say, he might have converted the opportunity Iwobi spurned but playing devils advocate, he might not have been on the end of it.
I wondered if Broadhead might have replaced Rodriguez.
dutchblue54
Player Valuation: £20m
Not sure if it has been discussed but isnt it strange Price and Welch made the bench although they havent featured for the U23's ? On the other hand there are other U23 regulars being totally overlooked like Iversen, Hughes Ouzounidis, even Small.
Does send a wrong message or Price/Welch should have made the step up to the U23's sooner.
Does send a wrong message or Price/Welch should have made the step up to the U23's sooner.