28 Mar 2019 11:15:05
so with this debate about should we play youngsters or not
1.could ruin there progress
2.could be the beginning of something big
3.with all our under 23 under 18s i don't see many coming through to the 1st squad
4.over 20s has not progressed even in to a good championship player.
5.instead of getting a run in the 1st team teams would rather go and buy talent, ban the winter transfer market.
6.my opinion give them a go, might have rashford, rice, ward prowse or better.


1.) 28 Mar 2019
28 Mar 2019 11:57:05
I am in favour of giving youngsters a go, they should certainly be on the bench and exposed to the first team. Of course Silva does not seem to do this and is another black mark against him.
What is the good of having a youth team if the lads never get a chance?
Klopp has proved it can be done at Liverpool.


2.) 28 Mar 2019
28 Mar 2019 13:23:10
Silva doesn't give youth a chance?

On average, we have the youngest starting XI in the premier league this season (alongside Southampton under Hasenhuttl and Fulham) .

I actually think Silva has got a very good blend of youth and experience in the squad.

Pickford is very young for a premier league GK (25) - only Kepa is younger (by 6 months! ) 1st choice in the league.

Zouma, Mina, Digne are all 25 or under. Keane has only just turned 26. Kenny is 22 and played 10 times this season. Again - very young average age for a defence (supplemented by experience of Jags, Baines and Seamus) .

Andre Gomes is 25. Davies is 20 and played 15 times this season already. Again supplemented by experience of Siggy and Gueye.

Richarlison is 21 (with 8 caps for Brazil) , DCL is 22 (just! ) . Bernard is only 26. Again supplemented by more experience of Theo and Cenk. And of course there is Lookman who should be getting more game time.

And of all of Brands/ Silva's signings, Bernard was the oldest at 25 (at the time he signed) .

While most of these aren't raw youngsters, most of them have their best years ahead of them in the next 5-6 years

And of course we have Dowell, Vlasic, Holgate, Williams, Onyekeru, Robinson and Baningime all out on loan getting invaluable experience.

You can accuse Silva of a lot of things - but not giving youth a chance is not one of them.


3.) 28 Mar 2019
28 Mar 2019 14:13:29
Silva has reduced the average age of our squad this season and it is now one of the youngest in the prem it is also over a year younger than Liverpools. Forget Klopp, apart from TAA he has paid for his young talent. And none of them played in his first season in charge.

At the same time Silva has given plenty of playing time to the likes of DCL and Davies for their age.
Lookman has had game time but failed to deliver consistently and Dowell was given a chance but it was evident he isn't ready. Kenny stayed in the squad.

Of the ones that were brought up only Holgate and Kenny look capable of stepping up and possibly Baningime.
Pennington and garbutt and the like aren't going to make it.

Brands watches the youth team games and hasn't felt the need to move anyone up but i'm guessing the supporters know better.


And this is the problem, some supporters want the moon on a stick.
They cry out for a higher league position year on year but expect us to do it with half the U23s getting game time.
And if we don't improve league position they will be calling for the managers head. Oh and if we do improve our league position he will be vilified for not blooding more U23s.

People change their mind like the wind. They don't want pretty entertaining football and a project, they want the Allardyce boring tripe and the possibility of drawing 30 games a season and winning 8 because it might get us 7th. But they also want it done with the U23s.


4.) 28 Mar 2019
28 Mar 2019 16:59:44
Simple really, we have to give him time, good post Smit.


5.) 28 Mar 2019
28 Mar 2019 19:59:33
Smit
You must be watching different games as far as Lookman is concerned. When he had a run of four consequative games he was man of the match in three!
He should always be starting ahead of Walcott who has been poor all season and offers nothing to the team.
Both Lookman and DCL should be given the opportunity to fulfill their enormous potential to the benefit of EFC.


6.) 28 Mar 2019
28 Mar 2019 20:47:32
Well I'll take your word for it Fancy because I don't remember him starting 4 consecutive games.
He has looked good in games he has come on but when he's started the odd game he hasn't impressed. As for 3 man of the match awards I'm guessing that's your perception and would be interested to know which games you think he has been man of the match.
I agree Walcott hasn't been good but he does offer more pace than Loookman. Is Lookman the answer right now? I'm not sure he's ready for 30 games a season.
Walcott definitely isn't the answer either.


7.) 29 Mar 2019
29 Mar 2019 07:30:29
I think the point being made by DC is how many brought through from our own setup, not bought in. All of us agree we have an excellent youth, U23 to reserve programm and hardly a week goes by without Unsy raving about our U23's.


8.) 29 Mar 2019
29 Mar 2019 10:05:30
So bill / DC - who in our u23s is currently better than who in our current first team squad?


9.) 29 Mar 2019
29 Mar 2019 13:05:28
The top teams in the prem have a smattering of home grown/ trained youth in their squads but they get limited game time. We probably have more and give more time than most in the league.

This is what Silva and Brands are here to do and for me they are bringing these young guys on just fine. Kenny, DCL and Davies have all improved since Silva arrived.


10.) 29 Mar 2019
29 Mar 2019 17:31:15
Brought Barkley in and look what happened there.