So THAT'S why McFadden left for total football, attacking powerhouse Alex McLeish...
I agree Moyes needs to blood more young talent, but I also thought McFadden had plenty of chances (over 100 appearances). Whereas Gueye, Duffy, Baxter etc haven't really been given much of a shout. And I can't see that changing in the next two games (Chelsea, Arsenal)
And that is precisely my point, they havent been given the chance, and if and when they are given chances, they fall in the same guise, that of a few sub appearences, played out of position, or dropped unceremoniously despite the performance, for an older head, despite form.
Even more recently, Rodwell and Fellaini played together as drew at Chelsea, and beat City, but Arteta, who has been awful all season, was straight back in at West Ham. Yakubu being dropped for Saha, Beckford taken off at half time yesterday, again for Saha, the same thing happened a while ago with Coleman, played excellent, dropped thr next week. It was ages before he got a run, out of position and begrudgingly i might add. But now he seems to found a way into Moyes little clique of players. He was awful yesterday and shpuldve been taken off, but you just knew he wouldnt be... He even went as far as taking Neville off to accomodate him in his natural position rather than take him off... Thats as good a sign as any that he he is made man now.
Problem is, i dont want a situation where certain people are above being dropped, while others are almost gauranteed to be. There should be a fairness about it, based on performance... Otherwise, there is no pressure on these other players to perform to their optimum standard, whilst there is simultaneously too much pressure on those others to perform.
And back to McFadden briefly, the stats that tell you how many apearences he has, do they hppen to give a count of consecutive games played, and what position they where, and how many of them where as a sub or how many he was hauled off?
Stats are boss...
