I don't go to many games these days, so excuse the ignorance, but is there an obvious reason why he's not had a run out this season? Is he the answer to the centre back problem or am I being to optimistic?
My gut feeling is that Hughton thinks he's too young for a Premier League central defender that plays for a club that look likely to be in a relegation battle. Also, you have to consider that Hughton has brought in Turner, who is going to be given his chance, and even though he's not started great, there is a decent Premier League defender in there somewhere.
Personally i don't think he is ready for regular premier league first team role myself. Bright future but I said before season started he would be on fringe of team. I don't think he would have played much last season had whitbread and Ayala not got injured, and i think even than it was clear he had a lot of developing to do.
The other possible option at cb is R.Martin. Whittaker when fit at rb? Our other option at rb is elliot Bennett but I'd prefer to see him down the wing
Agree with rather see Elliott Bennett down the wing, read a few people wanting him right back. If he needs to fill in there fair enough, but I still think he is more useful on the right wing. I like Russell Martin in at centreback but still think he has done quite well overall this season playing rightback. I just hope Bassong is fit on Saturday.
Re. Ryan Bennett, having bought him at the end of the January transfer window, by the time he was fit we were into March and survival all but in the bag. So Lambert was able to put him in the team to see what he could do. Did himself credit too, but as Carra says, Hughton has made a point of bringing more experience into the defence, so Ryan is having to bide his time and play in cup games. Maybe, if injury had not held Ayala back so much, Bennett would have been loaned out and Ayala kept.
I thought the same thing, Beef. Move RM into the centre for Turner & Whittaker at RB. Sounds more solid!
I am an advocate of E Bennett at right back, purely because it seems Snodgrass has the right midfield role. I'd rather have Bennett in the side than not an I actually think when deployed there, he looks very good in that role.
KIO, for some reason you only have to post and it sets me thinking. Why is this! "If you're old enough, you're good enough." Often said, but what does it actually mean? On the face of it, it implies that experience counts for nothing, or that some youngsters have such old heads that they appreciate instinctively what others may take years to learn. Could be true, but very very rarely, and I doubt if any of us have seen a young player who genuinely fits that description. In most cases the players in question are good enough to play, but are prone to error in ways that will be corrected over time as they gather experience. I would say Arsenal's Szczęsny is case in point. Two years ago Wenger took the view that he was good enough to take the No. 1 shirt. He's a very good young keeper, but he makes exactly the sort of mistakes that you might anticipate from a keeper of such limited experience -- impetuosity, poor decision making, hesitation at crucial moments under pressure. Some would say that Birmingham's winning the League Cup two seasons ago can fairly be put down to Szczęsny's inexperience. Others might say that, brilliant shot stopper as he is, De Gea's lack of experience cost Man U the League title last season. I think Ryan Bennett is the same. We could play him, but we'd have to accept that he will make mistakes of a kind that a more experienced, in-form CB would not make, mistakes that could cost us in a relegation battle. I'm all for encouraging our talented youngsters, but I also completely understand Hughton's point of view.
It's a difficult one, I would drop Snodgrass next game, think he has had a slight dip in form last two games, plus would like to see us with more width next against Chelsea. I think we'll get that with Bennett on the wing.
I hate to say it but it didn't do Tony Adams any harm when he played at a young age, alongside O'Leary. Also, as I'm sure the more 'mature' posters would testify, Duncan Edwards was deemed good enough and he was young. And before anyone mentions it, I am well aware that football has changed a lot since then
There are plenty of examples of talented youngsters playing, but the cost-benefit outcome varies from situation to situation. Rodgers is in a pretty unique situation among recent Liverpool managers in that he appears to be being allowed time by owners and fans alike. Nobody really expects them to be challenging for the title, or even a top four finish, so he can afford to blood his youngsters. And in some positions you might say he has no alternative.
He (Ryan Bennett) has been picked for the England U21 squad to play at Carrow Road I believe along with Declan Rudd so he can't be a bad player can he? Turner's stats= Played 3 games Lost 3 games, goals conceded=11, surely the penny must drop when Hughton sees these statistics.
