Totally agree. In this competition there is as much learning to be done by loseing as winning. It will be a reality check for some of the players and an incentive to others. Sure we would like to progress but if that's not possible we concentrate upon putting right the faults that prevented us from doing so. Logic tells us that from this side we will be lucky in we can get 2 or 3 to the fringes of the first squad. If this type of experience helps raise that to 4 or 5 then the whole competition will have been worthwhile.
Most Liverpool fans have high Hopes for 4 of the starting 11... Suso, Sterling, Coady and Wisdom. But for every Gerrard there's a Pacheco.
I'm glad he had a good time with you. However Lambert didn't seem to want to go out of his way to keep him. At liverpool there was so much faith put in his potential but it has never really materialsed for us. Hence luvgonzo's comment
Robinson (LB) is in and out and Kelly is almost first choice RB, Flanagan is pushing for a place. These 3 have not been included in this comp. We can't complain with Robinson and Kelly looking top notch our production line is looking good.
He went on loan to Athletico Madrid but they in turn loaned him out again. He's a good player but not quite good enough.
I reckon Sterling, Coady and Wisdom will come through. Silva is another one who might or might not make it, Suso I feel will be lucky to make it.
He's playing for Rayo Vallecano, on loan from Atletico, owned by Liverpool. If he impresses for Rayo, Atletico can buy him from Liverpool. If he doesn't, they send him back.
I think all excuses need to be left aside. If anything the FA youth cup and this comp has clearly showed we have not got the wonderous youths some beleive we have. we are into a re-org of the system and moving youths and reserves about. We are trying to make an u-19 reserve team level then having an u18, u16 etc. the teams coming together for this tournament are not as good as they could be but equally neither are they settled much. lets be honest........ there are better sides in other clubs in this country. sterling is way way better than the rest and it shows cos we spent 500k on him plus potentially more. N'goo is similar but was injured so is behind. But the rest? well..... lets just say suso is really dissapointing in his development cos he had great technical ability off both feet.
Silva impresses me as well, but can never find an outlet because nobody but Sterling moves upfield as quickly as him. Coady has stalled a bit lately, I think he needs to step up his game just a bit more and try and really push his way into the first team. Morgan is a tough one, he scores tons of goals but has no real identifiable talent. A case of being in the right place at the right time? That's a skill in itself. Wisdom is by far the beast of the defence, it remains to be seen how well he'll do in the rough and tough Premier league.
Youth sides are the equivalent of the R&D function of any corporation. When managed properly they are the long term lifeblood of the corporation. From what i have read about the Liverpool youth policy it appears that we are well on the way to effectively managing this function. It's not the players presently in that system that we should be concentrating upon except in so far as they are proof that the system itself is working. When Ferguson turned to his 'kids', he did not do so as a planned exercise, he did it out of desperation. He was lucky. The youngsters that he brought in were exceptional. However, the system that produced those 'kids' has not been able to reproduce the same level of success in delivering new players to the first team squad. Last season Kenny had to call upon the first blosssomings of our youth system. He did so because he had no other option. He too was lucky that 3/4 players produced for him. The difference between the 2 will be proved over the coming seasons as youth players become available who not only have the required level of skill but have been coached within a system that repicates how the first team squad play. Youth will always be a high risk strategy. Nobody really knows if a youth player will reach the hights that are hoped for or if he reaches the peak of his potential at a lower level. Therefore just like an R&D function it is the management of that risk that is the important factor. We need to see more Gerrard, Owen and Carra's rolling off the line and less of the Pachecos.
I believe the best experience young players can get is first team match time and I'm not talking about reserve team games etc. I remember Rafa strongly pushing for a similar set up to Spanish leagues where the reserve teams compete in the lower leagues (Championship). It would be a good idea but only for bigger clubs who have the resources and the youth, as opposed to smaller clubs who mainly pack the reserve teams with older fringe players. Failing that, we should do our best to loan players out as soon as possible. At what age should we start loaning players out? For example - Suso is 17 (I think), do you think we should loan him out now? Or allow him to continue his development at the club?
To be fair it's an awful idea. The potential for The Championship winners not being promoted and the devaluing of the lower leagues as a vessel simply to test their youngsters and fringe players, which in itself can reduce opportunities for promising youngsters. All in all it caves into the big clubs in Spain, as they're well used to and is a slap in the face for the smaller teams.
I completely agree - but from the perspective of a big club, it would be great to see the youngsters tested against experienced opposition, bigger stadiums, bigger crowds.
Yeah, it would be nice, especially when you see the likes of Barcelona with 2 or 3 players coming into the first team at a time, who have played together every week since they were 12.
Agree that Sterling looks good so does Silva but Suso i don't think he will.He was missing the whole of the game against Wolfsburg bad touch on the ball not willing to fight for the ball and the list goes on I'm surprised that the name Adorjan has not been mentioned,once he came on we were a total different side Now i know he is not English but we should defo keep hold of him he could make it Another player that stood out for me was Wisdom had a good game to he made everything he done so easy and for his age he is a big strong lad I won't get carried away and let us see what the future brings for these youngsters
