It would only go <standard> and we end up with Spanish officials on the payroll of get real Madrid, then get expelled due to "irregularities" .
I totally get where you are coming from mate, it would be great for our U19's to progress in the competiton but none of those youth games will compare to playing for the first team at Wembley in the champions league. It would be a fantastic barrometer for someone like Marcus Edwards, TOB or Sterling to see how they can handle such an occasion. Im not saying we should use the whole U19 team but we can certainly use a few for Wembley. For instance Sterling gets called up then young Reo Griffiths would get take his place in the first team and that would benefit him etc. I know Apeol beat our U19's at their place but that was a freak result. An U19's with a few or our excellent younger players filling in should be more than capable of winning our last qualifier. Finding our next Harry Hane or Harry Winks is far more important than potentially winning a youth tournament .
No problem giving a couple a chance, but DH had too many. For the game on Tuesday we were without TOB and Bennetts so, yes by all means we should be okay without a few. We were very unlucky in the first game, we outplayed them and got done. I'd even go as far to say that we could play Edwards (eg) for 70 minutes in the U19 game and then he could be on the bench for the seniors and play 20 minutes.
There's no such thing as too many academy players in a first team squad in my opinion, Blue. We have a unique and rare opportunity to field a rotated side in Europe's elite club competition and face zero risks by doing so. FWIW I'd love for the lads to do well in youth football but I would 100% sacrifice potential progression in that if it meant gifting a bunch of our talented youngsters some substantial minutes in the first team. 'Champions League at Wembley Stadium' - imagine the sort of boost that'd give a young player.
I think that those players have to earn time in the first team, though. I expect that Pochettino will do a fair bit of rotation, but I'm not convinced it will see him bring in a group of youth players. I've no idea how APOEL will approach this game either, as they've still got a shot at Europa League football. 1st and 2nd place in the group have been decided. 3rd and 4th haven't. I wouldn't like to see us put out a really weak side and lose, even though the result means virtually nothing to us. I'd be happy to see a few that have already been involved in squads being given a shot. Walker-Peters and Oakley-Boothe wouldn't shock anyone, as they've already been there. We've got senior players that need game time too, though. Llorente, Foyth, N'Koudou and others won't improve without playing. This could be a good chance for them, as we'll probably need them in the packed period coming up. Is the U19's progression important? Not really. It would be nice to do well though and would mean more games for them.
Isn't it better to finish top PNP? You say it means virtually nothing to us but doesn't where we finish govern who we play next?
We've already won the group, DGC. If teams finish on the same points, then it goes to their head-to-head records, not goal difference.
I agree mate RE senior players, the three you mentioned were in the team I said I'd personally play a few posts back. I wouldn't go as far as calling the side weak though, those who I'd personally take into the game will have been players that have earned the right to be there. KWP, TOB and Georgiou have already featured for the first team this season. Sterling grabbed a goal in the post season tour and is often amongst the goals for u23s. Edwards we all know (or hope) is on the cusp of breaking through. Shashoua has been getting rave reviews in recent months. Tanganga is a real unit and has proved himself a threat from set pieces in the opponents' half. Since Bennetts got moved to LWB he's taken to the role seamlessly at that level and bagged a couple of goals when marauding forward. All of these lads have excelled for the u23s/ u19s over recent months, so I'm of the opinion they've at least earned the chance to be in the squad, with some even making the starting XI. I don't think Spurs will have another opportunity like this to reward all/ most of them. I know Poch doesn't usually do mass rotation but I really don't see the harm in doing so on this occasion.
Probably going to be repeating what others have said - In an ideal world it would be great to put out a team of youth players but id be very suprised if Uefa would allow this. As PNP mentioned a Europa spot is still up for grabs for Dortmund and Apoel. We also have to take in consideration the fans who have already bought and about to buy tickets for our last game who will feel short changed seeing an unrecognisable team. Im pretty sure we will see a matchday 18 consisting of a few first teamers needing minutes to boost fitness (Rose, Dembele etc), Players who havent started the game before, some players who hardly play like N'Koudou, Llorente, Foyth, Vorm, and KWP, TOB and Georgiou who have both been training with the first team squad and hopefully a handfull of youth players like Edwards, Sterling etc.
It would be foolish to risk star players in a game that has no bearing out the outcome of the group against a team which your U-21 team would beat comfortably.
Apologies if this has been dealt with already but aren't we restricted to whoever we named in our initial CL squad? This would limit us to selecting TAB, Georgiou and Amos so most of the above is academic. Unless there is some loophole that any number of under-20s can play?
Looking at the UEFA site, I think you are right. U21s are named as B members of the squad and we only have the few available that you mention.
I was just thinking the same thing surely our champions league squad was announced earlier in the season and we have to choose from the squad poch picked then
You can add as many B players as you want, as long as it's done before midnight the day before a match: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=2400510.html
As RDBD says, APOEL really aren't that bad. They drew with Dortmund twice and Real's first game against them was very dubious. We struggled out there pretty badly and 3-0 was a very flattering scoreline, honestly. If we don't take it seriously, then there's a real chance that they could turn us over.
